


A Midsummer's Dream

by Crescentmoonmadness



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: A Collection, Camp Bughead, F/M, july prompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-04 22:43:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 23,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15157232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crescentmoonmadness/pseuds/Crescentmoonmadness
Summary: A collection of drabbles that fall in line with the Camp Bughead July prompts! Be sure to go check out Buggiebreak's tumblr for the full list!





	1. Unhinged

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 1 Camp Bughead - Camping  
> This is being turned into a full-length fic. It will be titled Unhinged because I can't let this baby go. It will probably come out at the end of July so keep tabs!

The fire crackled as Archie gently strummed his guitar, the song sounds of the strings echoing through the trees around them. The marshmallows had been toasted and the hot dogs ate, all that was left was a dim July sky, the embers of the fire flicking up to touch the burnt orange of the fading sun. 

Betty swayed softly from her place on the log, clasping hands with Veronica, blissfully happy that she was able to escape her mother for a few days and spend some time with her three best friends. 

Archie, her childhood crush, red hair and golden retriever eyes, strumming his new guitar that his girlfriend had bought him. She remembered mud baths and paying with Vegas in the backyard, acting like a boy when her mother wasn’t looking. 

Veronica, a surprising addition to their group, but the very thing that Betty had felt she had been missing most of her life. A best friend. Of course, she had Polly, but it was never quite the same feeling when someone was obligated to love as opposed to when someone chose to love you. Betty had thought that she would despise Veronica when she started to pursue Archie, but it had been the wake-up call Betty had needed to see that she was waiting for someone who wasn’t waiting for her. Instead of anger, she had felt relief when the two had come and told her, faces ashamed, that they were dating. 

Jughead, the boy that was always there. The one who ran slower so she didn’t feel like she was falling behind the other boys when they were six. The one who offered her his ice cream when she had dropped her outside of Pop’s. The one whose blue eyes always seemed to pierce right through her soul, always knowing when her happiness was real or fake. Still could without a doubt say that Jughead knew her the best out of anyone in her life, and he was her best and closest friend. 

The singing and guitar melodies slowly drifting into silence and Betty looked around the fire and smiled at the people surrounding her. Her family, her home. Veronica gently cleared her throat and it was at that moment that Betty realized Veronica was trying to release her hand. Archie was giving Veronica a very pointed look and Betty huffed a quiet laugh. 

“Go on, V. We’ll see you in the morning.” Veronica flashed an effervescent smile, her white teeth glowing in the light of the fire. She quickly turned without another word and took Archie’s outstretched hand. 

“Night, guys,” Archie called brightly. Betty watched them walk over to their tent until a warm body brushed against her. She smiled to herself and looked next to her, seeing the boy with the blue eyes and crown beanie sitting right beside her. 

“Well Betts, you might have made a good decision to put our tent clear across the campsite from them.” Betty giggled at the comment, knowing full well that he had shared the same sentiments with her in the back of Veronica’s SUV on the way to the campground. 

“Mr. Jones, I believe that you might be thinking the worst of them,” she declared through her stifled laughter. 

Jughead stood, his lips quirking into a hidden smile, and held out his hand to help her up. She took it and let him pull her up to stand beside him, releasing his hand when she was fully upright. 

She stretched her arms out above her head, trying to keep in the yawn that threatened to overtake her. 

Jughead chuckled softly beside her and walked towards their shared ten, unzipping the door only enough to grab his clothes that lay beside it. 

“You can get changed in the tent, I’m going to head over to the trees.” She smiled at his words, ever the gentleman, always thinking of her. 

“Thanks, Juggie.” She moved over to the tent then, unzipping the door the rest of the way, crawling in and zipping it up behind her again. She grabbed her flannel pajama bottoms and worn in T-shirt, changing quickly so that Jughead wouldn’t have to wait on her when he got back. 

She waited for a while, silently looking up at the stars through the roof of the tent. She wondered if Jughead would point out constellations to her like he used to when they were kids.

She got impatient, waiting had never been her strong suit. She peeked her head out the door, prepared to chastise her friend for taking so long, but was met with inky blackness. There was no sign of Jughead. 

 

 

Nothing. 


	2. Sun Kissed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 Camp Bughead - The Beach

The sun kissed her skin so gently, he felt jealous of it. He wanted to run his fingertips over each inch of her, ghosting across her, mapping every inch of her. 

She hid behind a sunhat, sunglasses, and a book. She looked impassive, but he knew better. He knew that when she really fell into her reading, the corner of her lip would be gnawed on relentlessly, her fingers would lazily flip the corners of the pages, she would gently sigh at the good parts.

He knew her, better than anyone. Better than himself, even, because even when he didn’t know how to feel, he knew how she would feel. 

He was lost in his thoughts when a gentle hand came to rest on his chest. He startled slightly, then glanced at her. 

“Juggie?” he closed his eyes against the sun, hoping to seem as though he wasn’t lost in thought about her. 

“Hmm?” A pause, and then…

“I said, do you want to go swimming?” He frowned slightly, doing his best to not smile and alert her to his plans. 

“I don’t think so, Betts.” He heard a small huff and he gently raised himself onto his elbows. 

“Oh...ok.” He couldn’t stand the slight sadness in her voice any longer. He rolled closer to her, pushing aside her book that she had resumed reading.

He leaned in close to her ear, knowing that there was no possible way that she could continue with her novel while he was this close. Then he whispered, as soft, as the wind, “I want to go for a dunk.” In one swift motion, he picked her up and hauled them to his feet, throwing her over his shoulder and laughing loudly as she squealed. 

He ran to the ocean with her in tow, knowing that there was no way he could ever be happier with anyone else. 


	3. Happiest Place on Earth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 3 Camp Bughead - Amusement Park
> 
> This obviously got away on me. Enjoy!

She had saved up for this for months. They were in their last year of university, both of them would be graduating for NYU with a Bachelor of the Arts, majoring in English, specializing in Creative Writing, not that she was bragging or anything.

The point is, she knew they were hard up on money. They both worked hard to pay their rent, he bartended at a hole in the wall a couple blocks away, and she served at two different restaurants to make sure that their rent and groceries were always covered. There wasn’t a lot to spare on frivolous things. Only the basics.

They had been chatting one night, sharing the corner of the couch and one laptop to watch a Netflix special, when the conversation had turned to family holidays. She had asked him what his favorite family holiday was.

He had been silent for a moment and she instantly regretted asking. She knew his childhood had been turbulent at best, but surely they had been on one family outing?

When he answered it was so quiet that she barely heard him. “My dad packed us all up in his truck, threw a tent and a cooler in the back, and drove us to Lake Placid.” She waited for him to continue.

“It was sometime in September. I remember missing school for it. I was probably only ten at the time. I remember Jellybean was so little still. We got to the lake and I just remember running down to the shore. I had never seen water that blue before. The trees were all turning color and everything was so beautiful.

Dad and I rented a canoe and went out on the lake. I remember actually talking _to_ him, not just _at_ him. That was probably one of the last good, pointless conversations we had, know that I think of it. We went back to shore and Mom and Jellybean had a fire going, hot dogs ready to be roasted. We had marshmallows and made s’mores. Come to think of it, it’s probably one of the best memories I have of my family.”

Betty watched him as he spoke about his past, relishing in the warm of good times. She rested a hand on his forearm, whispering, “That sounds like the most amazing vacation, Juggie.”

Jughead smiled at her warmly. “It was.” A moment passed before he spoke again “So what was yours?”

Betty looked at him, confused, lost in her thoughts of how peaceful Jughead’s life was before FP had gotten caught up in the Serpents. “What was mine?”

Jughead chuckled softly, “What was your favorite family vacation?” Betty turned red at the question, knowing immediately her answer. It was no camping trip, Alice would never take her family into the filthy outdoors. A gentle hand against her cheek brought her awareness back to Jughead. “Betts, it’s ok. I know we had different childhoods. What was your favorite holiday?”

She cleared her throat quietly. “My dad took us to Disneyland in California. It was probably the happiest we had all been, well… ever.” She looked down at her hands, thinking on how unfair everything was. She had grown up with money. They certainly weren’t rich, but they didn’t want for anything. Jughead had grown up with nothing.

“Betts, that sounds amazing.” She looked up to see a genuine smile grace his face. “My dad always said he would take us to Disneyland someday, by the time I was fourteen, I had figured out that that was _his_ biggest dream rather than a reality.”

Betty was amazed at the easy way Jughead talked about some of his biggest disappointments. The man that sat before her was pure gold, and he deserved everything that she could give him.

So she worked. Hard.

* * *

Over the next few months, they barely saw each other. When she wasn’t at school or the library, she was at work. She had picked up every extra shift she possibly could, not realizing that her absence was making Jughead lonely. She couldn’t worry about that. She had a goal and Betty Cooper didn’t take no for an answer.

* * *

 She ended up working the whole year like that, wearing herself down to the bone. They had both graduated with distinction and were now in the process of finding jobs. Jughead was having a harder time than she was, but he was pickier.

She had worked her last shift at the restaurant, putting in her resignation notice two weeks ago, knowing that she finally had enough money saved to enact her plan. She had bought two plane tickets as soon as she could afford them, and now their flights were leaving tomorrow.

She came home that night to a sulky Jughead. Nothing new. She knew that this year had been hard on him. The pressure of school, the uncertainty of the future, and a girlfriend who was never home. She would be an idiot to not know how it affected him. She just hoped that their suffering was worth the end goal.

She came to sit beside him on the couch, gently taking his hand in hers. “I have a surprise for you,” she whispered to him.

He looked up, intrigued. “And what would that be?” She simply grinned, not willing to give away the surprise just yet.

“You need to pack clothes for ten days, clothes for warm weather” She got up quickly, pulling him up with her. She gave him a not-so-gentle push in the direction of their bedroom and patted his backside. “Go on, get to work.”

He listened, heading to their room, but not before throwing her a questioning look over his shoulder. She simply waved him on with a motion of her hand.

They lay in bed that night and she knew that Jughead was spinning through hundreds of options of what she could be planning. She rolled into him, giving him a quick kiss on his cheek and muttered a quick, “Good night,” before falling asleep herself. 

* * *

Her alarm blasted through the silence at 5AM sharp. She got out of bed, watching as the man beside her rolled over and groaned into his pillow. She silenced the alarm and gave him a few quick pats over the blanket.

“I’m going to get the coffee, get dressed Juggie. We have to leave in a half hour.” The responding groan set a smile upon her lips. She walked into the kitchen, making sure the coffee pot had turned on when she had programmed it to.

She took two premade breakfast sandwiches out of the freezer to thaw on the counter and went back to their room. Jughead was now sitting up, staring blankly at the wall. She chose a simple sundress to wear and tied her hair up in a loose bun, wanting to be comfortable on the flight.

She packed up the last of her toiletries and added them to her suitcase, doing the same for Jughead once he had brushed his teeth. Rolling the two suitcases out to sit by the door. Jughead followed out behind her and perked up slightly at the smell of coffee.

She smiled and handed him a to-go cup, and watched as he made himself his morning fix, before getting her cup ready as well. Everything was packed and by the door when the doorbell rang. Jughead glanced over at the door perplexed and watched as Betty opened the door to Veronica.

“You know Betty, this is an absolutely absurd time to be awake in the morning.” Betty just chuckled and handed their key over to Veronica. She gave the brunette a quick hug.

“Thanks for doing this, Ronnie. I left all the instructions on the fridge.” Veronica cracked a small smile and nodded.

“You kids have fun.” Jughead just shook his head, not enjoying not being in on the secret that Veronica so obviously knew.

They hauled their suitcases down to the street and waited for their Uber. The fact that they weren’t taking their own car just threw more confusion Jughead’s way. He lifted their luggage into the back of the car and got in. 

* * *

 

They were outside JFK were Jughead finally clued in that wherever they were going wasn’t close. A million possibilities took over his mind and so began the guessing game.

He was whisper guesses to her as they checked in, went through security, and waiting for their flight.

“Bahamas?”

“No.”

“Vegas.”

“Nope.”

“Hawaii?”

“No sir.”

She wouldn’t budge, wouldn’t give a single hint. She hadn’t even given him his ticket so that he could read the destination on it. Of course, he could go check the terminal’s TV and see what flight coincided with their gate, but he decided to just let her surprise him. He would find out on the plane where they were going.

Only he didn’t. The little minx had asked the flight attendant not to announce it. Jughead huffed in his seat, knowing only that he was flying somewhere that would take six hours.

She leaned over and kissed him softly on the cheek. “Get some rest on the flight, Juggie. We have a big day planned when we get there.”

Jughead huffed quietly, resting his head back on the seat. He was exhausted from waking up so early, and even the excitement of going somewhere unknown couldn’t keep him awake.

* * *

Jughead woke up just as the plane was descending. He looked out his window, seeing a sprawling city below him. Off to the left was the ocean, and he could only assume from the long flight and presence of water that they were on the other side of the country.

They left departures after gathering their suitcases and Jughead quickly realized they were at LAX, the huge sign and palms trees attributing to his discovery. Betty hailed a cab and they took off towards their next destination.

* * *

 Jughead could honestly say that when they pulled up outside the gates he was not expecting it. The tall gates were open and there was a flower garden dedicated to the one that started it all. Jughead’s mouth gaped open as he got out of the car. He didn’t even notice Betty grabbing the suitcases. All he could do was stare.

Betty sidled up beside him, taking his hand. “Do you like it?”

Jughead couldn’t form words, couldn’t say the thank you that was resting on his tongue. Only one word left his lips.

“Disneyland?” Betty’s face lit up with a smile and nodded. She pulled him gently forward, grabbing her suitcase and indicating that he should grab his too. They walked to the front gate and stopped at the stand.

“Hi, I’m Betty Cooper. I pre-purchased my tickets and was told I could drop my bags off here and have them sent to the hotel.” Jughead watched in awe as the woman in front of him revealed her obvious planning.  The woman at the gate smiled and printed their tickets, stepping out of her booth to grab their bags.

“You kids have fun!” Betty smiled in return and pulled Jughead through the gates, his legs unable to work on their own anymore.

Jughead stared open-mouthed at the sight in front of him. It was everything he had wanted as a child, down to the sunshine and the crowds.

“I know you always wanted to go with your family, and I’m sorry about lying to you about the tip, but I wanted to give you something to show how much I love you. You are everything to me, Jughead, and you deserve everything -” Her words were silenced with a crushing kiss.

She sighed into his mouth and brought her hands to his face, cupping the back of his neck, her fingertips playing in his dark curls. When he finally broke away, Betty was left stunned and breathless.

“Thank you, Betty. You didn’t have to do this. This wasn’t your wrong to right, but I am so grateful that I have someone so thoughtful and selfless in my life.” Betty blushed and watched as the man in front of her disappeared, replaced by the ten-year-old that never got to go to the happiest place on Earth. Her Jughead, always responsible, sarcastic, sensible, was now a child again, filled with wonder and amazement.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her forward, switching their roles now that the initial shock had passed.

“So,” he said excitedly, “what ride do you want to go on first?”


	4. Cuba

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 4 Camp Bughead - City Escape
> 
> I don't think this is what was meant by the prompt, but this is where my mind went.

Betty ran through the streets, checking over her shoulder every few minutes. They were never supposed to be found here, in the anonymity of New York City. The city where you could disappear. 

She had a simple backpack with only essentials, some food, water, a change of clothes. She ducked into a back alley at the direction of her phone. She had preprogrammed an escape route into both their phones the moment they had arrived in the city. He had told her she worried too much, but all her worrying always seemed to be for good reason. 

She ducked behind a dumpster as the four men chasing her flashed by the alley entrance, unaware that their target had changed course. She smirked to herself,  _ going to have to be smarter than that boys.  _

She continued down the alley at a brisk pace, following the map etched into her mind. She turned one last corner and felt a smile burst across her face. 

She knew he would be there, he had never let her down, but it was nice knowing that when the world was against you, you could count on someone. 

She pulled open the door to the car and got inside. 

“Alright Jones. Any bright ideas of where to hide next?” The man beside her pierced her with a playful glare. 

“You know Cooper, I hear Cuba is nice this time of year.” She leveled him with a glare. 

“It’s hurricane season.” Jughead barked a laugh as he put the engine in gear. 

“Perfect.”


	5. Abroad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 5 Camp Bughead - Across the Ocean

Betty sat on the edge of the cliff, the sea breeze dancing through the pieces of hair that had managed to slip from her ponytail that day. She looked out over the view in front of her, the sun setting low over the ocean, lighting the whole water up with bright oranges and reds, setting everything on fire. She grabbed his camera, the one he had lent her, and brought it up to her eye, snapping a few pictures.

She grabbed her phone next and took one more picture, the lens facing her now, the sun playing off her skin, lighting up her emerald eyes. She snapped the picture and sent it to him with a simple text.

_ I miss you. _

The reply was immediate and followed in her simplicity.

_ I’ll see you soon, Betts. I love you. _

She sighed, knowing that her taking a summer abroad had been a good idea, and a great opportunity. She just couldn’t help how much she missed Jughead. She hadn’t realized just how much time they spent together before he was taken from her. It was like quitting some cold turkey, agonizingly painful.

She sighed and set her phone down beside her, staring back out at the rapidly lowering sun. When it had lowered all the way and the sky darkened she finally got up from her perch and headed back to her dorm. She had somehow gotten lucky and had been given a single room, meaning that she didnèt have to pretend to be cheerful when she wasn’t.

Betty got back to her dorm just in time, only a couple minutes to spare before curfew. She took out her key and unlocked the door, flicking on the lights as she went in. She gaze was immediately drawn to her bed, which was covered in flowers. She floated over to the bed, wondering who had done it. Maybe one of the girls down the hall? She had mentioned the other day she missed Jughead. Maybe they were trying to cheer her up.

Her questions were answered when the bathroom door creaked and she whirled around. There, standing in the doorway, was the very man she missed so much. His black curls longer than how she had left him, and his facial hair grown out into a scruffy beard.

She wandered over to him in a trance, raising her hands to cups his cheeks. His chuckled low in his belly and that seemed to snap her back to the moment.

“How are you here?” she muttered.

“I flew.” She smacked his chest lightly at his response, which only made him laugh harder.

“I mean, what are you doing here?”

He smiled down at her, and while the rest of him looked a little different, his eyes remained the same. Blue and piercing, always a window straight into his soul.

“I'm here for you, Betts. It's always you.” 


	6. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 6 Camp Bughead - Staycation

Jughead clicked the lock, walking back to the woman on the couch.

“Is your phone off?” he asked. The woman nodded and Jughead held out his hand, beckoning for her device. She handed it to him, and he checked it quickly before checking to make sure his own cell phone was off.

He placed both phones on the coffee table and turned back towards the woman, her blonde hair shining down her back in golden waves.

A small smile broke over her face as he neared her, a giggle following close behind. He wondered often what he had done to deserve such a pure human. She was the definition of light, it emanated straight from the core of her being.

Jughead flopped on the couch beside her, immediately wrapping her up in his embrace, snuggling in closer.

“So, did you tell Archie and Veronica we were gone?” he asked. Betty nodded, looking guilty as she did. “Hey,” he grabbed her chin gently and twisted it towards him, “we aren’t being dishonest. We _are_ taking a vacation. Just not where we told them we were going.”

She rolled her eyes and pulled her chin from his grasp. “There’s quite a bit of lying involved for not being dishonest.” He moved to convince her again, but she kept speaking, not allowing him to get a word in.

“First we told everyone that we were going hiking. We are, in fact, sitting on our couch. That’s a lie. Then we told people that we wouldn’t have service so they couldn’t call us. A lie. And then…” Jughead silenced her with his mouth, causing a small gasp to leave her lips, which was promptly taken into his mouth. He pulled away far enough to look into the depths of her emerald eyes.

“Betts, we need a vacation, right?” Betty sighed at this, knowing his argument was iron-clad. It had been for weeks.

“Right,” she conceded.

“But we are saving up to go to see Polly in Florida.” She nodded at the information. “So, therefore, if we want a vacation we take one in our home. And that requires a few white lies.”

She nodded again, her eyes dipping down to look into her lap. Jughead moved off the couch, she saw out of the corner of her eye that he had headed in the general direction of the kitchen and their bedroom.

She sat there, contemplating how much she let their fib affect her guilt. She knew the logic behind their plan, but it didn’t make her feel any less awful for lying about it.

She sat ruminating in her guilt when Jughead came back, both hands behind his back. She looked up, eyebrow quirked.

Without saying a word, Jughead pulled a bag of sour candies from behind his back in one hand, and a copy of _Dirty Dancing_ appeared in his other hand. She looked up at his face in confusion. Jughead hated the movie, often saying that it was a crime against filmmaking.

“I figured we’d ease you into our ‘weekend away’ with some of your favorites.” Her grin broke out across her face in breakneck speed. She scooched over on the couch, making room for the man that never failed to make her feel better when she was upset.

“Come on over,” she murmured, waiting until he was just about to sit down before she threw up a hand, halting his motions, “but only because you have candy.”

Jughead smiled down at her, the love he had for her filling his eyes with joy, “Of course, Betts.”

 


	7. Take Me Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 7 Camp Bughead - Runaway

Betty grabbed her clothes and shoved them into the backpack sitting on her bed. Her phone trilled beside her and she glanced at the screen, filling with dread when she saw the caller I.D.

_Penny Peabody_

She threw the last few items in her backpack and zipped it closed, looking over her shoulder at the abandoned street below. She put her arms through the straps and waited off to the side of the window, looking for her ride. She saw him, rather than heard, mostly due to the fact that he had turned off the bike a street over and wheeled it to her front steps.

She watched him dismount the bike and quickly stride over to the garage, pulling the ladder out from beside it and setting it against her window. Betty opened the glass and carefully put her feet on the top rung, shutting the window behind her as she lowered herself down to the ground.

Betty hopped down the last couple feet, stepping back so he could put the ladder back where he had found it, not leaving a trace that they were there. He walked back over to her and grabbed her hand, leading her towards the bike.

He stopped just beside the vehicle and looked at her for a moment. She knew he was asking her a silent question. She sighed softly and looked down at her shoes.

“She called me again,” Betty confirmed. She looked up at the eyes staring into hers. Dazzlingly blue even in the moonlight, seeming as though they were peering into her very soul. He nodded at her words and got on the bike.

“You left your phone in your room?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“And a note for your mom?” She nodded her agreement. She knew in her heart that he was scared, and was taking control of that fear in the form of their plan, but it broke her heart to see him so serious. So very much like the Serpent Prince that he was.

They began walking down the street once he donned his own backpack with clothes and essentials in it. him pushing the bike and her following closely beside him. They reached the end of the street and made a left, bringing themselves to a stop on the side of the street.

“Get on, Betts. We need to get out of here.” She stepped closer to the bike and swung one leg over the bike and wrapped her arms around him as best she could.

“Ok, Jug,” she murmured once she was settled, “take me away from here.”

One strong nod from Jughead and the bike roared to life and took off down the street. Betty watched as everything she knew flew past her eyes until the last thing she saw of Riverdale was Pop’s neon lights.

* * *

Alice awoke the next day to sunshine and birds chirping. She got out of bed and put on her housecoat, smelling the coffee already brewing downstairs. She gave a slight knock at her youngest daughter’s door as she walked by, nothing amiss.

They had a routine. Alice would wake up, knock on Betty’s door, and get her coffee. By the time she had breakfast made Betty was always downstairs and ready to eat. Things had gotten simpler since her husband had gone to jail. Alice had let go of things that didn’t matter, like counting her daughter’s calories for her and always looking press-ready.

She poured herself a cup of coffee and decided on pancakes for breakfast. She pulled the milk, eggs, flour, oil, and various other ingredients from the cupboards and began mixing the recipe that she knew off by heart. She watched the batter bubble in the pan as it cooked, ruminating on all the cleaning she would do later that day. She set the table and looked up the stairs, surprised to not see Betty’s form making its way down.

They had a routine, down to a science. Alice made her way back upstairs and stopped outside Betty’s door, placing her ear gently on the wood. There were no sounds of someone preparing for their day. None of the gentle bumps and thumps that accompanied putting on an outfit and doing one’s hair. No humming that usually drifted from under the door when the young blonde was sweeping mascara over her long eyelashes. Nothing.

Alice knocked again, and after hearing no sound still, gently pushed open the door. The room was pristine, as usual. No clothes or knick-knacks out of place. Bed made, pillows fluffed.

The only thing out of place was a small piece of paper folded neatly on top of the pillow, along with a cell phone.

Alice walked over without telling her body to do so, a million horrible things running through her mind. She tried to calm herself, but as she read the note, she felt a sense of dread so overwhelming it almost consumed her. She fell more so than sat on the bed, not believing the words before her.

She cast the note aside and grabbed the cell phone, looking for any sign of where her daughter had gone. There was no call log, no text history, not even her daughter’s favorites apps. The phone had been reset to factory settings, but really, could Alice expect anything less of her daughter?

She sat on the bed, letting her feelings fill her with hatred, regret, but most of all grief. A grief so deep that she could hardly bear it. How had she not know...again. How had she not seen? She thought back to the words on the paper and grabbed it again, reading over what was written there.

_Mom,_

_Please understand that I never wanted to leave._   
_Every part of me hoped that I could figure this out._   
_Never in a million years did I think that it would come to this._   
_No one I love is safe if I stay in Riverdale.  
Years later, when everything calms down, please know that I will come back to you._

_People in Riverdale need to know the whole story._   
_Everything, from the Serpent's to the Ghoulies to Hiram Lodge’s role in all this._   
_All the evidence is there, Mom, you just need to look again._   
_Please don’t give up on us. We will never give up on you._   
_Burn this note when the time is right. You’ll know when you’ve figured it out._   
_One might say that this mystery has no leads, but you’ll have one that nobody else knows._   
_Don’t look too hard, or you just might miss it.  
You’re the smartest person I know, Mom. I know you can do this. I love you xx_

Alice looked at the note, heart aching over her loss, unable to make sense of her daughter's twisted words. Betty never wrote like this. In earlier times, times that Alice is not proud of, she would read her daughter’s diary and never once had Betty written in poems like this.

It wasn’t a normal goodbye note, and it seemed to be urging her to figure out this next big “lead.” Alice looked at the words, again and again, pouring over every loop in her daughter’s handwriting.

_“Don’t look too hard, or you just might miss it.”_ Alice sighed at the line. Betty obviously had left something behind for her, something in plain sight, that was simple to find, but hidden all the same. Alice let her eyes glaze over as she looked at the note, the words all running into one another. She brought them back into focus and that’s when she saw it. She ran with the note down to the fireplace, throwing it in with the ashes and getting a match to quickly set it aflame.

She stood back and watched as the paper curled and bubbled in the flames, thinking of the one clue Betty had left behind.

_Penny Peabody._

She ran to her bedroom and threw on her clothes as quickly as she could, not worrying about if her shoes matched her camisole. She grabbed her keys as she headed out the door, directing her old station wagon to the Southside, where she was sure an equally stunned FP would be waiting for her.


	8. Festival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 8 Camp Bughead - Ancient History

He watched as the festivities took place from his seat beside his father. They ruled a small kingdom, but they ruled it with pride. Jughead said  _ they  _ but it was really his father, King Forsythe II. Jughead was the prince, and certain things were expected of him. Like attending the annual fair and continue the never-ending search for his future queen. 

It had started a couple years back when Jughead had the celebration of his 16th year of life. His father had pulled him aside after a mug of mead and had whispered that he had a surprise. Jughead had followed, curiosity piqued and wondering what his father could have possibly gotten him. 

The answer, as it turned out, had been a choice. A choice between five women and the instructions that he was to pick one to marry. The night hadn’t ended in marriage, as his father had intended, but rather with Jughead locking himself in his chamber. 

Fast forward two years and Jughead and his father were still playing the same game. The king would bring forth women, as sneakily as he could, and Jughead would politely turn them down. 

This fair was no different. Jughead had seen countless women and had said “Thank you for your time” countlessly. So he sat in his seat beside his father, watching the athletes run their horses at one another. The midday sun beat down on the field, bringing a shimmer over the arena, making everything seem like a dream. 

That’s when he saw her. Across the arena, sitting with a young handmaiden holding a parasol. Her blonde hair caught the sun and blinded him over and over again. He rose out of his seat, making a hasty excuse. 

“Excuse me, Father, I need to relieve myself.” His father gave a grunt and dismissed him with a wave of his hand. 

Jughead made his way around the field, his eyes stuck to the blonde the entire time. He arrived in front of her and knew that she immediately recognized him. She stood and curtsied before he could even speak, her beauty stealing the words right from his lungs. 

“Prince Forsythe, it is an honor to make your acquaintance.” Jughead bowed as she rose from her curtsey, watching the way her blonde tresses, tumbled down her shoulders. 

“The pleasure is all mine…” He left the statement open-ended, hoping to learn her name. She smiled in response, her cheeks turning the most becoming shade of pink. 

“Princess Elizabeth,” she replied. 

“Princess Elizabeth,” he murmured back, committing her name to heart.  


	9. Open Meadows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 9 Camp Bughead - 1800s

Elizabeth gathered her skirt into a bunch as she walked through the garden, pulling weeds as she went. Her wicker basket lay at her feet as she gathered up the vegetables for that night's supper. She heard William and Adelia screeching somewhere out by the barn, playing a spirited game of Graces with the hoop and sticks that their father had whittled for them the night before. 

She smiled to herself and continued her work, fingernails scraping through the dirt to unearth the fresh carrots and potatoes from the ground. 

A pair of hands grabbed her from behind, wrapping around her waist. She squealed and dropped the handful of veggies, tugging at the hands assaulting her sides. 

“Forsythe! Put me down!” She turned around in his arms once her feet were back on the ground. She reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, nuzzling her nose into the underside of his jaw. 

“Are you working hard, Mrs. Jones?” She huffed a small sigh. 

“Well, I was, but then I got distracted.” She felt him tremble at the huskiness of her voice, running his hands over her backside. “Are you,” she asked, “working hard, that is?”

“I’m giving Penelope a break. Pulling that plow can’t be easy in this heat.” She smiled up at him, taking in his taut muscles from working the field and the one black curl that stuck to his forehead with sweat. 

Suddenly two more sets of hands wrapped around her legs, causing her to sway in her husband’s arms. She looked down past her elbow, seeing a set of crystalline blue and emerald green eyes peering up at her. 

One thought rung through her mind as she watched her two children take off into the meadow by their little home.  _ I love this life. _


	10. Crash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 10 Camp Bughead - 1920s-1930s

_ October 25, 1929 _

_ I don’t even know what to say. I feel like God has forsaken us, why else would something like this happen. All we know so far is that the stock market is gone. All of it. There’s nothing left. I heard harrowing tales from Veronica, who heard from Archie, about men jumping from windows when they heard the news. He said it had looked like it was raining people. At the time, Jughead had been at work, his little newsstand only a few blocks down the street. When I heard about the rioting I waited by the window for him to get home, just hoping that he would be safe and stay out of trouble.  _

_ I don't know when things got so bad. It seemed to come out of nowhere. There’s lots of talk on the radio, which I haven’t shut off since I heard the news, that this is a backlash from World War I, then there are others who say it’s because of us helping out other countries. I couldn’t make sense of it if I tried. All I know is that this is going to affect a lot of good peoples lives, even if they didn’t invest in the stock market. Juggie and I never got around to it, but the radio talk shows hosts have guaranteed that this crash will affect all U.S. citizens. Like Veronica and Archie, who had put so much of her father’s money into stocks, and now they would have nothing. Everything would be taken from them to pay back their debt.  _

_ I know it’s selfish, but in all this chaos, I can only think about how grateful I am that Juggie and I decided not to have kids right away. Even though Mother says that birth control is a sin against God, I just can’t believe that God would want me to have a child if I wasn’t ready for one. Mother says that couples are only to have sex if they are trying to have a child, but maybe that’s why she’s so unhappy all the time. Because now that I know how good it can be, how can anyone think that sex is sinful? When I’m with Juggie it’s like the whole world feels complete, I’m so happy to just be wrapped up in his arms every night, and when he touches me… it’s like my whole body is set on fire. I love him. I love him more than I love myself sometimes.  _

Just then the door clicked and she looked out the window, seeing the edge of Jughead’s coat. She put her journal down for a moment, tucking her pen inside it, and rushed to the door to greet him. She peeked into the kitchen on her way, the roast she had prepared sitting warm in the oven and the potatoes mashed and ready. It wasn’t much, but it was what they could afford, and Juggie never complained anyways. 

The door creaked open and she came to stand by the door, waiting for her husband to walk in. She sucked in a quick breath when she saw his crestfallen face. She reached a hand out to lightly brush his cheek. 

“Juggie, what’s wrong?” The man in front of her, her rock, her steady hand, trembled before falling into her arms, barely hidden sobs wracking his body. She had never seen her husband cry and didn’t know that this wouldn’t be the last time either. Sometimes she forgot that he was only 23 and she was only 21. They had dated since they were sixteen, so oftentimes she felt a lot older than she was. 

“What happened?” she whispered quietly in his ear. When his sobs died down he rose his head from her shoulder, pulling back from her grasp. He quickly wiped the tears from his face.

“The newsstand is gone.” Betty gasped at the information, eyes widening in horror, hand coming to cover her mouth. “It got ransacked last night in the riots. I spent the whole day today trying to salvage enough of it, but there was nothing left.” 

Tears quickly came to Betty’s eyes now, that newsstand was their only income. Juggie had gotten luck last year and had been able to purchase the stand and rights to sell local newspapers and magazines on one of the busiest streets in New York. It had been enough to give them a comfortable life, a nice house, food on the table. To hear that it was gone was enough to shatter her. 

Except she didn’t shatter. A feeling came over her, one of power and strength. She knew, in her heart, that the next few years would be tough, but they had to be tougher. She was made of more than pretty skirts and blonde hair. She was resourceful and gritty. They would get through this. They would. 

“Tomorrow we go into town and use some of our savings to buy lumber.” Jughead looked at her in confusion, not following her line of thought. “My dad taught me how to build things when I was younger, we used to make all kinds of stuff. And fix cars, too. Tomorrow we’ll go into town and buy lumber to build a new stand. I will not let this destroy us, Juggie. But first, come sit down for dinner, while it’s hot.” 

She marched into the kitchen, resolve solidifying as she walked. They would be fine. She would make sure of it. 


	11. War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 11 Camp Bughead - 1940s-1950s

Betty Jones cooked supper for her two children like she did every day. She had just gotten them from the sitter’s after her shift at the factory, which was grueling and hard work but it put food on the table. 

The ham was in the oven, filling their home with the smell of honey glaze. It was a gift from her manager, they hadn’t been able to afford anything as luxurious as ham ever since the war started. 

She thought back to the simple days when they thought their lives were ending. The stock market crash and the loss of their income due to Juggie’s newsstand being destroyed seemed like the worst thing that could happen to them. 

But then they built a new stand and had two children. They weren’t rich but they made due with what they had, and they were happy. Until the war. Posters plastered over every streetlamp and building in town, claiming that big old Uncle Sam wanting the nation’s men to rise up and fight the Nazi’s. 

Betty and Jughead had fought for days when he brought home the enlistment papers. Horrible fights with screaming and crying and throwing things. In the end, all the screaming and crying couldn’t dissuade her husband from crossing the seas to fight for his nation. So here she was, cooking for three instead of four, putting in twelve-hour shifts at the factory to feed her children, and sleeping in an empty bed. 

The timer dinged her the ham and she was just about to pull in our when the doorbell rang. 

“I’ll get it!” Betty shook her head as their oldest boy, Colton, ran to the door. She followed close behind, watching as her son pulled open the door to reveal two U.S soldiers. 

Her heart dropped into her stomach, bile rising up in her throat. 

“Can I help you, gentlemen?” Her words sounded foreign to her, her voice strangled. Colton backed out of the doorway to make room for her mother. 

“Good afternoon, Ma’am. We wanted to thank you for your husband’s service, and express our condolences…” Betty heard nothing more, everything fading away into a muffled blur. The men in front of her held out a folded flag, which she took and muttered a faint thank you. She wasn’t even sure if they were done speaking, but she shut the door on them all the same, resting her back against the now closed door. 

She slid down until she reached the floor, her limbs turning to dust. She was vaguely aware that her children were asking her something, but she couldn’t seem to focus. All she could see was his face, his eyes, his laugh. 

She felt her heart crack into a million pieces, damaged now beyond repair. The love of her life, her soulmate, gone.  


	12. Boneyard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I'm still participating, but summer plans have got me busy! I'll be catching up with all prompts within the next few days. 
> 
> Day 12 Camp Bughead - 1960s-1970s

“Come on, Betts. Don't be such a drag.” Betty’s eyes roved over the offending item in her best friends hand. They were out at the boneyard, sitting on the junked cars. Graduation seemed a million years ago, but it was really only two days. Betty couldn’t wait to get out of Riverdale. 

Away from the small town, the mysteries, the corruption. Her oppressive mother. 

Her attention was drawn back to the joint being waved in her face and she scrunched up her nose again. 

“You guys go ahead, I’m alright.” She received a small scowl from Veronica for refusing to take part in the fun, but Betty knew she would get over it. Soon the two girls would be leaving for New York, Betty going to NYU and Veronica determined on breaking into the fashion scene. Betty was excited to be leaving, she really was, but there was one person that she wasn’t ready to leave behind. 

A set of hand wrapped around her waist, making her jump, until she saw the grey crown-shaped beanie on his head. She relaxed into his arms and smiled.

“Hey, Jug.” He smiled down at her, pressing a soft kiss into her hair.

“Hey doll, are you ready to beat feet?” Betty nodded and gently slid off the car hood, waving goodbye to the group of people gathered around. She would see them all again at Veronica’s going away party tomorrow, no need to stick around and hand out goodbyes quite yet. 

They walked away from the group hand in hand, stopping in front of his motorbike. She would never get over how riding on the bike of her boyfriend’s bike made her feel. Wild and free. 

“Hey, I have something to tell you.” Betty looked at her boyfriend, at the apprehension in her eyes. Her gut twisted uncomfortably. They had barely spoken about her leaving, about the fact that she was going and he had to stay behind. His dad needed him at the auto shop, and he couldn’t afford to send Jughead to university anyways, even if he was a better writer than Betty any day. 

They had said at the beginning of their senior year they weren’t going to break up, like so many other of their classmates. They were going to stay together for as long as possible until the inevitable happened. 

“Jug, you promised…” Betty thought back to his promise three months ago. 

_ “No heroic ‘I’m letting you go’s.’ We are sticking this out. We’ll make it work.” _

_ “Promise?” _

_ “Promise.” _

Jughead’s voice returned her to the present. “Have I ever broken a promise to you?” His blue eyes pierced into hers, sometimes she felt like he could see right into her mind. 

“No,” she whispered, looking down at her feet, suddenly overcome by how helpless she felt in the situation. 

“I came to tell you I’m going to New York.” Betty’s head shot up as he uttered the words.

“But your dad…” He interrupted her line of questioning, holding up his hand against her cheek. 

“I talked to him, actually talked to him. Told him I was leaving, and he didn’t have to pay a dime.” Betty looked at her boyfriend’s determined face, his thumb still rubbing gently over her cheek. 

“The money?”

Jughead just smiled, “I got a second job back at the beginning of the year, working for a buddy of my dad’s, Tall Boy, delivering pies on the Northside.”

“What are you going to do? Where are you going to stay?” Betty knew that she should feel happy, but she couldn’t do that until she knew that he had a plan, that he wasn’t upsetting his whole life without a solid plan. 

“I talked to Arch, a few months ago. He had an extra bedroom in the place he’s planning to rent. He was going to find a roommate once he got there, but he gave it up pretty easily when I told him I was moving to New York.” Betty smiled, her boyfriend, the boy she loved, had done all this. She would be stupid to think it was all for her, she knew that Jughead had always wanted to get out of Riverdale just as much as she did, but a part of her hoped that he was coming for her because he didn’t want to lose her. She sure didn’t want to lose him. 

“There’s one other thing.” She raised her eyebrow, silently telling him to go on. “You, Miss Cooper, are looking at the last successful applicant to the NYU writing program.”

The air whooshed out of her lungs. “You got in?” The boy in front of her smiled, his grin almost splitting his face in two. 

“I got in.” He nodded. 

“Juggie!” She squealed, throwing her arms around him. “I’m so proud of you!” He picked her up, twirling her around once before setting her back on the ground. They were still just outside of the boneyard, Betty could hear the whoops and hollers of her friends just down the path. Everything, all of a sudden, felt right. 

“I love you,” she whispered, slowly bringing her face up to his. 

“I love you too, Betty Cooper, and I can’t wait to start our lives together.” She kissed her gently at first, then harder and Betty knew that no matter what, they would always be with each other. They would always make it work. 

  
  



	13. Green Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 12 Camp Bughead - 1980s-1990s

Betty watched herself in the mirror as her friend drug the black makeup across her face. Over the past hour, Betty had watched herself be transformed into another person. 

“There. Done.” Veronica, who had been working tirelessly, put down the eyeliner in her hand and stepped back to appraise her work. 

Betty looked at herself in the mirror, not recognizing the girl in front of her. The girl looking back had dark eyes, thick liner, red lips, and messy hair. Quite the stark contrast to her subtle makeup and diligently smooth ponytail.

Veronica had shoved her into fishnet leggings and cutoff shorts, an oversized back t-shirt tucked into her pants. 

“We look ready to rock,” Veronica said with accomplishment. Betty nodded her agreement, still mesmerized by the change in front of her. 

 

They walked down the street, receiving catcalls and the like from the men they passed. Betty had never gotten this kind of attention that Veronica was so used to, but she did have to admit that the pair of them looked amazing. 

They arrived at the venue and waited by the doors. It was busy, people filing in a steady stream through the doors. Betty looked at the posters plastered to the walls,  _ Green Day.  _ She had only heard of the band after Archie had got them all tickets from work, but once she started listening she couldn’t stop. 

Veronica gripped her arm suddenly, craning her neck to look above the sea of people. She started jumping excitedly and pointing in the direction down the street. Betty followed her finger and her eye caught a tall man, with black hair sitting wildly atop his head, blue eyes connecting with hers. 

She felt her whole body go warm and waited for the man to approach. He swept her up into his arms the minute he got close enough, which was close enough for Betty to see that Archie had obviously convinced him to wear eyeliner as well, dressing the part for the concert. 

“You look amazing,” she breathed into his ear, feeling both hot and cold throughout her body. 

“So do you, punk rock princess.” She smiled at the nickname he had begun calling her once she started going to the record store and buying new CD’s every week. They heard the wail of feedback from inside the concert hall, loud enough to signal that the show was about to start. 

“Come on!” Betty shouted, grabbing Jughead’s hand. She pulled them in the direction of the door, knowing that Archie and Veronica would be following close behind. She couldn’t wait to feel the music thrumming through her body, making her feel alive. She looked back for a moment at Jughead and saw a look of adoration in his eyes. She blushed and looked forward again, intent on getting them as close to the stage as possible, knowing that the man attached to her hand would follow her anywhere. 


	14. 2187

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 14 Camp Bughead - Future (2020 and Beyond)

Betty stood waiting for the SkyTram, mentally scanning through the day's tasks. She had to set up a meeting with the Editor-in-Chief, go through submissions from her writers, create a new blog post, and hire a new assistant. 

She sighed at the last task. Her last assistant had been a nervous wreck, unable to even get a cup of coffee for her without having a breakdown. She needed someone strong-willed and eager to please. She didn’t have time to babysit. 

A small ping rang in her ear and she blinked quickly to bring up the updated feed. It was an email from the Editor, stating that the morning's meeting would be moved up by a half hour. She smirked as the words rolled across her vision, blocking out the scenery in front of her. She knew her editor was erratic, often changing meetings to catch someone unprepared. 

Betty blinked away the email and watched as it shot down to the corner of her eye. She had gotten a new overlay inserted last week and was still trying to work out the kinks and changes from her old model to the new one. She glanced down the track, blinking again to bring up the SkyTram schedule. It was late, but not any more than it always was. 

2187 and they still couldn’t figure out reliable public transportation. She sighed again, sending the schedule away and bringing up the weeks submissions. If she had to wait for the silver bullet to get to her, she might as well work. 

She was working on getting through a particularly heinous submission when she found herself suddenly on the ground. 

“What the f---” She glanced up and was met by a set of blue eyes, so clear and crystal. Her words died on her lips as the man towering above her reached out a hand. 

“I’m so sorry,” he sputtered quickly, hauling her to her feet, “I didn’t see you there.” 

She glanced at him once she had righted herself. He was tall, black hair spilling over his forehead in unkempt curls, clothes disheveled, but the most outstanding thing about him was not his appearance rather what he was holding. 

“Are those...books?” She questioned, not remembering the last time she had seen print on paper. Probably at the museum that she and her ex had visited three years ago. Books hadn’t been around in, well, a century at least. 

The man grinned sheepishly at her. “It was nice bumping into you,” he muttered, glancing around at the people whose attention her words had attracted, “but I really need to get going.” 

Before she could say anything else he sprinted off down the staging area, disappearing into the crowd. She blinked before even realizing what she was doing, pulling up a reverse image search on his face. She gasped lightly to herself at the images and search results filtered across her eyes. 

Jughead Jones, the infamous author whose work could only be purchased on paper, making it extremely expensive and not well read among the regular population. She glanced back in the direction that he had gone, floored by the realization that she had just met one of the most reclusive and exclusive authors of their time and not realized it. 

She needed to meet him again, she decided quickly, if only so she could peek into those blue eyes again. 


	15. Sweet Sweet Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 15 Camp Bughead - Noir/Mystery

Jughead looked at the board in front of him, pictures and post it notes scattered seemingly haphazardly, red string making confusing paths between items. It only seemed haphazard to people that came into his office, but to Jughead every piece made perfect sense. He had been working this case for the better part of a month now.

Three missing persons, three dead bodies. No evidence left behind, no leads to be followed, nothing. It had been eating him up for the better part of the last 30 days, taking every moment of his time and thought. He knew who the killer was. Knew it in his gut.

She had come back to the scene three days after the first body had shown up. She was the only person in the park, seemingly oblivious to the horrors that had only just happened. Her blonde hair had hung down her back in waves, the sun glinting off it.

At the time he had thought it strange, a beautiful woman alone in a park where a dead body had been found. Riverdale was a small town, there weren’t too many people that he didn’t know, but she was unfamiliar.

She had told him she just moved to the area, looking to find a quiet place to settle down, which would explain her lack of aversion to the park, unlike so many other citizens.

He saw her again the next day, and the day after, sitting on the bench, staring at the river pass along below the bank.

There was one day, he had overheard her on the phone and it was then that he knew.

_“Yes, it’s taken care of. No, nothing left behind. I’m ready for the next one.”_

Jughead had quickly left, stumbling back into the station faster than his feet could carry him. He looked up everything he could on her, only realizing then that she hadn’t given him her full name, only her first. _Betty._

He talked to the Sheriff, convinced that this was the killer. He had no proof, the Sheriff had said. No leads and no evidence, but Jughead knew that he was right.

And that was how he had gotten himself into this mess, tied up in a basement, a beautiful woman with golden hair floating around him, deliberating the best way to get rid of the only person who could ruin her.


	16. Polly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 16 Camp Bughead - Fantasy/Fairytale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note, Mary is the actual root of the nickname Polly.

Betty walked through the courtyard, bare feet whisking along the marble staircases, crunching leaves delightfully beneath her toes. She basked in the afternoon sun, grateful to be left alone for the time being. 

Her mother was oppressive and had become more so as of late. Betty was nearing the age to be wed, and it was driving the queen into a panic-induced spiral. She had only managed to sneak away from the claws of her mother with the help of her sister, to whom she was always grateful to have. 

Elizabeth reached the edge of the garden, the gate laying stoically in front of her. He tipped her head as she regarded the wrought iron guard, then reached her hand out and pushed it ever so gently. 

It gave easily enough under her touch, despite rarely being opened. She glanced over her shoulder, stepped one foot through, then the other, then the rest of her body. She looked out as the sun shone on the glen just outside the castle walls, the wildflowers swaying in the light breeze. She began to walk out, humming quietly to herself as she went. 

She thought of her impending wedding, her duties as a princess, her lack of choice. As she walked her feet carried her out of the glen, down a beaten dirt path, into the darkness of the forest. She barely noticed the change in scenery, so lost was she in her thoughts, twisting this way and that in her mind. 

She stumbled upon a small river, over a log draped across the gap. She stopped to listen to the sound of the water, relishing in the way it tripped and burbled over rocks. She tilted her head back, closing her eyes, letting the sun shine upon her face through the trees. 

A twig snapped not far off and she jerked her head in the direction of the noise, her eyes snapping back open. She remained focused, waiting for the offending creature to walk into her line of sight, thinking perhaps it was a rabbit at best or a beast at worst. 

Neither graced her with their presence, instead, a man came out from the trees, brown hair falling into his crystal blue eyes, his gaze latched onto her. 

She took a step back, not used to seeing strange men, or anything strange, at that. He reached out an arm, clad in a leather skin coat. 

“Do not be afraid.” Elizabeth wondered as his voice, smooth as silk, yet husky. She lifted her head higher at the words, recoiling at his words. 

“I am not afraid of you,” she stated, her words ringing out clearly in the quiet wood. 

“Good,” he whispered, “then come, follow me.” She couldn’t explain the sensation rolling through her, the inability to say no, the willingness to follow. Her feet began to take her across the log before her mind could come to decision. 

She walked to him, staring up into his eyes, seeing only kindness and calm there. 

“Who are you?” She questioned. He smiled softly down at her, a curl falling into his eyes. 

“Forsythe,” he uttered. She giggled a little at the name, never hearing such an unusual one. 

“And what are you doing in the woods, Forsythe?” His gaze changed, the softness in his eyes hardening, his grasp tightening on the arm that she had not realized he had taken hold of. 

“Hunting,” he muttered darkly, “Mary says hello.” He flashed a toothy smile, dragging her farther down the path. 


	17. Fallen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 17 Camp Bughead - Horror

Jughead picked up his pace as she floated through the wood, her fingertips trailing on the bodies of trees, leaving burnt embers in their wake. He weaved through the smoke and ash that followed her, never getting close enough. 

She looked back, flashing that terrifying smile again, and he brought his camera up to capture it, but as his eyes found the lens she disappeared. He lowered his camera, footsteps coming to a halt. Then he heard the singsong tinkle of her laugh echoing through the trees. 

“Jughead,” her voice whispered, beckoning him closer. He feet moved on their own accord toward the sound, trying to get closer to her. 

Every part of him knew that this was dangerous, that she was not what she seemed, but he couldn’t turn away, couldn’t stop himself once he was already in motion. She was breathtaking and terrifying in the same moment, every bone in his body screaming at him to get away, yet convincing him to come closer. 

He walked through the mist, listening for the sound of her voice. He didn’t see the branch, and so when he fell it caught him completely by surprise. He threw his hands out to catch himself, hearing the sickening crack of his wrists and the crunch of his camera, both broken equally. 

Jughead groaned and rolled, looking at the grey sky above him, the leaves on the trees hanging on for dear life in the brittle, autumn air. A wave of golden hair appeared above him, blocking out the frail sunshine. Her eyes flashed green in the most wicked way, her tongue poking out to caress her lips. 

“Oh, Juggie,” and he felt himself smiling stupidly at the sound of her voice, “you are mine. And you always will be.” 

And even despite the panic simmering deep in his stomach, he couldn’t bring himself to care. 


	18. Everything Looks Different

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 18 Camp Bughead - Animation

Elizabeth watched him as he strode along the path in front of her, determination in every step he took. She knew she had chosen a good guide, what she wasn’t expecting was for her to start to like him. 

It had started as a tingling in her toes when he saved them from the soldiers at the dam. It traveled to her fingertips when had told her his real name in the cave. 

She got rosy cheeks as she healed his hand that night, never experiencing it before. Of course, she had read about it, from the books that Mother kept hidden under the stairs. She had never understood why her mother had kept them away from her, tales of daring princes and true love, she had never met someone who made her feel the emotions pivotal to those books. She understood now. She understood as her heart warmed from his kindness with each passing moment, his own bravado facade fading away. 

She understood that somewhere along the line he was doing this because he wanted to, not because he wanted the crown. She understood that her mother had given her the crown to seed doubt into her mind, but she knew in her heart that Forsythe wouldn’t abandon her. She knew it. 

And yet, she couldn’t bring herself to give him the crown. Some small part of her was holding onto it like it was hers to have all along. She couldn’t explain it to herself, she just felt an overwhelming feeling of  _ home  _ when she looked at it. 

She bumped into something, lost in her thoughts as she was. She looked up to the offending object, finding Forsythe right in front of her. His blue eyes looked at her and she felt like he could see right through her, see her every thought. Her knees felt weak when he was this close, the smell of him overpowering. He smelled of pine trees and musk, something she had never smelled before. 

“Oh,” she muttered looking down at her bare toes, “sorry.” She heard a chuckle above her and a hand on her chin, bringing her face up to meet him again. 

“Don’t apologize. I couldn’t bear to pull you from your thoughts, you looked like you were pondering something of the most importance.” He smiled and it took the breath right out of her. 

She thought back to that first day when he had tried to  _ smolder  _ at her. She couldn’t have helped but think that it was the most ridiculous face she had ever seen. But this smile, the one he seemed to save just for her, it made her melt. A hand on her arm brought her back to him, he seemed to always know when she drifted off in thought. 

“I just wanted to let you know that we will be there soon. Probably another ten minutes walk.” She nodded again, feeling a sense of excitement and apprehension flow through her. “It will be really busy,” he added, “today is the festival. There will be people everywhere, and, well, you know that I’m not exactly the most liked person in the kingdom right now. We’ll have to keep a low profile.” She nodded again, words unable to form as she thought about what he said. They were almost there. All her dreaming for the past eighteen years would come true. What if it wasn’t what she thought it was? What if she built it up too much in her head? 

“Elizabeth?” She focused back in again, seeing that Forsythe was already a few paces ahead of her. She watched as he slowly walked back, like approaching a wounded animal. He was so close now, their chests almost touching. His hand found her face, thumbs smoothing over the skin there. 

“What’s wrong?” She looked down, his hands preventing her from hiding her face in her hair. 

“What if it’s not I dreamed it would be?” She said this quietly, so quietly that she’s not sure if he’s even heard her until he answers.

“Then we find a new dream.” His answer is simple, and yet it fills her with a joy that almost bursts forth from her body. 

_ We.  _ Not you, not I, but  _ we.  _


	19. Played

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 19 Camp Bughead - Action/Adventure

Betty watched him walk across the forest floor, trying his best to be stealthy, but failing miserably. She shook her head, looking around to make sure no one was following him. She had managed to make it this far in the game without killing anybody, but she knew that would have to change.

She hadn’t wanted to play the Capitol’s game. She had refused to, that was, until Ethel. And then she had to watch the girl die in her arms, brutally murdered by another tribute, Reggie she had thought. That’s when everything had changed in her. She had killed Reggie first, for retribution, then Veronica, another tribute from District 1. She had killed three more since then, mostly by hanging out in her tree and picking them off as they walked by. She felt herself die a little each time, but when it got to be too much she just remembered Polly, and how she had promised to try to win. 

He stepped on a twig below, the snap echoing loudly through the forest. She winced, hoping that no one was close enough to hear it. She watched him again, his tall body looking out of place in the woods. He was sweet and kind, and he didn’t deserve to be here. He was too soft to commit the kind of violence the Capitol craved. But she wasn’t.

Betty slowly climbed down from the tree, readying an arrow as soon as her feet touched the ground. She slowly walked to him, being careful not to make a sound. He continued his path, unaware that he was being followed. She pulled the arrow back, preparing to let it loose straight into his back. She knew her arrow would find its mark deep within his heart. He looked over his shoulder suddenly, spotting her. Not ideal, but she could still make her shot. 

“Betty.” he breathed. She watched as he stopped and turned to face her, his eyes full of fear, and then something else that looked strangely like determination. He took a step closer, and then another, and again another even though she moved to aim her bow directly at his heart. 

She watched as he came closer and closer until the point of her arrow touched his chest, continued watching as he leaned in, the smile on his face serene and calm. His breath fell on her ear, warm against the frigid coolness of the shade they stood in. 

“Remember what FP said, Betty.” She waited, her hand frozen and heart stilled. 

“Make a good story. I thought I was.  _ District 12 girl murders the boy who loves her to get back to her sister,”  _ she whispered quietly back. He chuckled, still keeping his face deliriously close to hers. 

“I think  _ District 12 girl falls for the boy who loves her after he saves her life  _ sounds a lot better.” Betty scoffed and rolled her eyes. 

“And how do  _ you  _ plan to save  _ my  _ life? You don’t even have a weapon.” At that moment she heard a crack behind her, followed by Jughead grabbing her shoulders and spinning her around.

She saw the red hair first, knowing immediately it was Cheryl from District 2. She was deadly with a bow as well, but Betty had gotten the only one, and she knew Cheryl had been trying to track her for days so that she could rip it out of Betty’s cold, dead hands. 

Before she could think anything else, Jughead placed his hands on hers, pointing the bow and its projectile at Cheryl, then flicked her fingers off the string, effectively loosing the arrow. 

Betty watched as it sunk into Cheryl’s chest. It wasn’t a perfect shot, but it wasn’t bad for not actually shooting it herself. She felt Jughead lower her arms as she watched Cheryl sputter on her blood. He leaned in close again, his breath hot against her ear. 

“I guess we’re going with my narrative. Sorry, Betts.” The heat of him left her, save for the grip he had on her hand. She blinked slowly, knowing that somehow he had played her, that he had led Cheryl here to be killed, to create a good story. 

She turned to follow the boy that was tugging on her hand and the only thought that kept running through her mind was how he had played her too, and the whole Capitol. He wasn’t the soft person he had pretended to be outside the arena. He was ruthless, and he was here to win.


	20. Ascension

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 20 Camp Bughead - Sci-Fi

Everyone has a time to look forward to. For most people under the age of eighteen in Riverdale, that year they would turn eighteen. The town was divided into two sides. The Southside and the North. 

Every year there was a competition held for those in the Southside. All citizens turning eighteen in that calendar year could participate in a competition. If you won, your family got to move to the North side. It didn’t seem like a big deal to Betty when she was younger. Her family had a nice life. Her mom worked at the local bar serving drinks and her dad worked at the one bank the Southside had. 

She had never resented her upbringing, that was, until freshman year when South Side High took their students on a field trip to the North side. Betty had her eyes opened. She had never thought they lived in poverty, and on most days she still didn’t think that they did. What she saw on the North side that day was just how the other half lived. 

It was the most disgusting display of wreckless wealth she had ever seen in her life. There were entire gold statues lining main street, mansions that could fit ten houses from Southside in them, food overflowing trash cans, wasted when there were families on the other side of town starving. 

Betty had always told herself that she wouldn’t compete in the Ascension, the yearly competition. She was happy with her life, with her families status, much to her mother’s despair. 

That was always her belief until Polly got sick. It had started in Betty’s junior year. Polly got skinnier, and then paler, and then skinnier again. None of the Southside doctor’s could figure out what was wrong, and so she continued to waste away. When Hal and Alice had finally saved enough money to take her to the expensive doctor from the Northside who took Southside cases on the side, illegally, they were hit with the worst news. 

Cancer. It had seeped into every part of her body. Cancer had been cured years ago, but not for the lower class. The cure was expensive, and so it was saved only for the Northside, never mind that it was barely needed. Most people had excellent health care and access to nutritious food and time to exercise. 

When her parents had come home and told her, Betty was angry. She didn’t remember ever even feeling sadness. Just anger at how their world was set up to be unfair from birth. The worst part was, if someone in your family won the Ascension, your family never had to go back to Southside. Your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren would forever live on the North side. 

Betty knew what she had to do. She would win the Ascension and get her family to Northside, Polly would be treated and live. She knew that there wasn’t a victor every year. The committee who designed the competition made it extremely difficult to win, they didn’t want to overpopulate Northside. But she would win. She had watched her sister suffer for a year and a half now, slowly fading further and further away from them, but still holding on. She was ready. She had studied fifty years worth of past competitions, trying to learn as much as she could.

When the day came for her to submit her name she was confident. She looked around at the crowd of hopeful victors and new that she had a good chance of winning. That was until she saw him. Blue eyes hard as steel, hair as black as his soul, or so she had heard. 

Jughead Jones, successor to the Southside Serpents, the most notorious gang leader in the history of the club. He had taken over for his father last year and had brought the gang into something as close to wealth as you could get on the South side. He ruled with fear and pride, which was probably why it was so surprising that he was here. She had always assumed that he loved his life, that he would never want to leave. 

She watched as he sidled up to her, a sinister grin taking over his face. She knew she was staring, but she was doing her best not to let this hiccup derail her. Her planned stayed the same. Win. At all costs. 

“What are you doing here, Jones?” She said this quietly, not wanting anyone near them to hear. “It’s not like you actually want to leave Southside. Why not leave the winning for those who need it.” She felt his gaze on her now, but she kept facing forward, pretending to listen to the presenter who was now telling everyone about the dangers of the Ascension. 

“You’re not the only one with a sick sister, Cooper. Stay out of my way and you actually may live to see the end of the competition.” Betty scoffed at his threat, paying it no mind. She wasn’t scared of Jughead Jones, or anyone else. She new Jellybean was sick. Had heard it whispered by her mother to her father after one of her shifts at the Wyrm. 

She couldn’t let herself feel bad. There were lots of kids competing for lots of good reasons. She couldn’t care about every one of them. In the end, there would only be one winner, and it was going to be her. 


	21. White Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 21 Camp Bughead - Actor AU

_You want this,_ she reminded herself for the hundredth time. _You worked hard for this and no one can take that away from you._ She took in a deep breath before opening the door to her trailer, ready to head to hair and makeup.

This movie was going to be her big break. Everything she had worked hard for in the last five years would finally pay off. The sleezy casting directors, the shitty roles, the C-list parties. She would be done with all that.

It wasn’t about status to her, although the status was certainly a perk. It was more about getting to act in challenging roles that you just didn’t see in smaller movies. She wanted to be pushed, wanted to be challenged.

However, she was now questioning at what cost she was willing to be challenged. Every day she came to set, got ready, and tried to do her job. And every day her co-star, Reggie Mantle, made her life a living hell.

He would walk off set at least twice a day, saying that he refused to work with amateurs, meaning her, or that he wanted a prettier co-star. Betty tried to not let it get to her. She had been warned when taking the role that Reggie was hard to work with, but that he was a good actor and it would help her career. She was now questioning just how much verbal and emotional abuse her career was worth.

She sat in the chair in the makeup trailer she had all to herself, not because she was that famous, but because Reggie refused to be anywhere near her longer than he had to be. She smiled at the girls she saw everyday, making light chatter, but not really feeling up to a real conversation. This job was wearing on her.

Once they were finished they set her loose and she received directions on which set to head to. She walked into the massive building and was once again amazed at her job. There were people rushing everywhere, shouting into headsets and yelling across the set. There was so much movement and life, the real reason she had gotten into acting. This energy was addicting, and she took a deep breath in for what seemed like the millionth time.

She walked up to set, seeing that her co-star was already there, looking as handsome and angry as ever. She walked up just in time to hear the end of his rant.

“Well where the fuck is she? Does she realize that she isn’t the only one who is acting today? Get her down here, I have shit to do later and I want to get this scene over with.”

She realized with a sinking heart that he was speaking about her. She checked her phone quickly, noting that she was earlier, but definitely not late like he was claiming her to be. She clenched her fingers into her palms, trying to take comfort in the light sting without piercing the skin, a nasty habit that she had picked up once she started filming this movie. She watched as Reggie continued to rant and rave and she felt her chest rise and fall quickly, the beginnings of a panic attack.

Just as she was about to lose it she felt a comforting hand on her back. She jumped slightly at the contact, not realizing that anyone was behind her. She looked up and saw the piercing blue eyes of Jughead Jones, up-and-coming director. He gave her back a light rub and walked past her, past his director’s chair, and straight onto set.

“Mantle!” Betty jumped at the deep timber of his voice, not used to having him raise it. She watched as Reggie turned his head towards Jughead and marched over to the director, obviously finding a new target for his rage.

“Jones! That bitch is late again, and I’m telling you for the last time if you don’t put her in her place and remind her who she is working with and how lucky she is to be here I’ll…”

He was interrupted by Jughead’s hands grabbing the front of his jacket, bringing the actor close to his face.

Betty unknowingly took a couple steps closer, not wanting the situation to get out of hand because of her. She heard Jughead’s voice ring out again, loud and clear enough for everyone in the immediate proximity to hear.

“That bitch, as you call her, has more talent in her pinky than you have in your whole body. And she’s not late, nor would she ever be if she didn’t dread coming to work with your sorry ass. What you’re doing, Mantle, in workplace harassment and I’ve about had enough of it. Leave Betty alone, and if I hear so much as one more foul complaint out of your mouth so help me I will recast you and we will reshoot every scene you’ve been in so far, budget be damned.”

Betty watched in awe along with the rest of the crew, not expecting their quiet and kind director to threaten Reggie.

“Get your hands off me, Jones!” Reggie tried to twist out of Jughead's grip, but it was no use, the director was taller and had some kind of death grip on the jacket. “I’ll be reporting you for abuse!” Betty sucked in gasp of air, not wanted Jughead to face repercussions because of her. She moved to come forward again, intent on telling the dark-haired man that she wasn’t worth all this trouble, but he spoke again before she could reach him.

“You know, Mantle, I’ve been talking to some directors that have worked with you in the past and you know what all of them can agree on?” He paused for a moment for Reggie to guess, but the actor remained quiet, his eyes narrowed into slits. “They all say that you are a nightmare to deal with. And when I asked why in the hell you keep getting hired they all say the same thing. That Daddy buys your roles for you. That if it wasn’t for family money, you would be out of a job. But you know what? Everyone that I’ve spoken to says the payout isn’t worth dealing with you, and you know what that means?” Again Jughead paused here, and Betty could see that Reggie was absolutely seething with rage.

“That means that I’d say your career is just about over if you keep it up. And you could try to report me, but I have about twenty counts of harassment against Betty and over one hundred from the crew alone that would say you deserved everything you had coming to you. So, if you want my suggestion, I would keep your mouth shut, finish the movie in peace, and then take a serious look at your life choices, because you’re walking on thin ice that even Daddy’s money won’t be able to save you from breaking through.” With that Jughead let go of Reggie’s jacket, lightly pushing him away in the process.

Betty watched as Jughead walked away from Reggie, the latter staring holes into the back of his head. She couldn’t help but stand there in awe. She had never heard of anyone brave enough to stand up to Reggie, but someone finally had.

She watched as Jughead strode by her, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder, giving it a small squeeze.

“Morning, Betts. Let’s get to work.” She looked up at him, knowing she had a look of disbelief on her face, but unable to control it. “I’m excited to see what you bring to the table today.” With that he walked over to his chair and sat down, beginning to speak to the group of people that were awaiting his instructions.

Betty walked onto set, still in a daze over what had just transpired before her eyes. Had Jughead really stood up for her, and threatened to fire Reggie too? She could feel the glares like daggers coming from Reggie’s direction, but when she turned to look at him he averted his eyes, obviously not wanting to test Jughead’s promise to him.

Betty felt a warmth in her stomach, and it was no mystery who had put it there. She looked one last time over at the director’s station, seeing his brilliant blue eyes looking at her. Betty giggled quietly to herself. She couldn’t help but wonder what Jughead would look like in a suit of armor, seeing as how he had cast himself as her white knight defender.

She knew that the rest of this movie would be easy and fun, because Jughead was here, and he would make sure she was safe.


	22. Til Death Do Us Part

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 22 Camp Bughead - Tying the Knot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved writing this and it just so happens that today is my one year wedding anniversary which blew my mind when I realized what today's prompt was. A lot of the mushy gushy stuff in here is how I'm feeling towards my husband today, who unfortunately had to work, but don't worry, we had pancakes together and looked at our wedding photos, so I got to spend some time with him! I hope you enjoy because I really enjoyed being hella sappy!

They sat in the limo, hands clenched together, dawn shining through the breaks between buildings. She looked over at him, the word husband rolling lazily around in her head.

His suit jacket was bunched up beside him, discarded earlier in the evening, leaving him in a white button-down, grey vest, and coral tie. She smiled at the memory of him picking the color palette, something that had surprised both Veronica and her mother.

_“I want pink for you, but not the pastel, something brighter, and navy for me.”_

He had looked stunning as she walked down the aisle. She had known what his suit was going to look like, she had gone with him to pick it out, but it still took her breath away when she saw him.

The day had passed by in a blur, she barely remembered taking pictures with the photographers, and couldn’t remember if the food was good, although she knew it was from all the raves reviews of their guests.

She didn’t know what she had been expecting from Jughead, but it certainly wasn’t the dancing. He had never been much of a dancer, he hated being the center of attention, she knew all this about him and she hadn’t been expecting him to make it out to the dance floor much.

However, he had a tendency of surprising her, and when he pulled her onto the dance floor at the sign of the first upbeat song, she had been astounded. She watched as her new husband danced and shimmied with Archie and Veronica, never letting go of her hand. They had danced the whole night away, sipping champagne and eating sandwiches from the midnight lunch.

She giggled at the memory, feeling completely blissful.

“What are you giggling about, Mrs. Jones?” She shivered at the mention of her new last name. It had been a debated subject for months. Jughead wasn’t proud of his lineage, a long line of Serpents and drinkers, and had insisted on taking her name, yet each time she refused. It had been one night, about a month out from the wedding when things finally came to a head over the issue. They were yelling, something they rarely did, when finally Betty reached her breaking point.

_“I don’t know why you won’t just let it go!” Jughead shouted. “I want to take your last name, I don’t want to be a Jones anymore.” Betty curled her hands into fists, careful not to break the skin._

_“My father is a murderer, Jughead! I don’t want that to follow our kids around for the rest of their lives. Whenever someone searches them up, that will pop up. I don’t want that life for them!” Jughead went silent, eyes filled with understanding. He crossed the floor to her, immediately scooping her up in his arms._

_“Then we’ll be Jones’.”_

_“Just like that?”_

_“Just like that._

Jughead squeezed her hand gently, bringing her back from the memory. “I’m thinking about all the dancing you did tonight. It was pleasantly surprising.” Jughead smiled shyly, his eyes looking down into his lap.

“I was happy, and I wanted to dance with my wife.” Her heart clenched at the word. _Wife._

She smiled at him, pressing a small kiss to the corner of his mouth.

The limo stopped in front of their apartment and they wasted no time getting upstairs. Once inside Betty looked around, taking in the home that they had made with each other.

She walked to the bathroom, texting Veronica that they were home safely, then started the work of disassembling her wedding look.

She unclipped the hair extensions setting them on the counter, her head feeling lighter with each piece removed. She slowly peeled off her false eyelashes, an insistence of Veronica’s behalf.

Next, she removed her makeup, although it was minimal, she tried to make a habit out of not sleeping with makeup on her face. She looked back up into the mirror, greeted by the face that she saw every day. Gone was the bridal glamour, replaced by her regular face.

She reached behind her and unzipped her dress, moving her hands to hold up the front. She stepped into the hallway, letting the dress fall onto the floor, the tool and lace holding of the bodice of the dress. She knew she should hang it up so it wouldn’t wrinkle, but that would be a job for tomorrow. She was about to enter their room, but she heard a low whistle coming from the kitchen. Jughead stood at the end of the hall, jaw dropped. She smirked at him, giggling to herself.

She watched as he made his way down the hall, careful not to disturb her dress. His hands found purchase on her hips and he whispered quietly, “You are so beautiful.”

“I’m wearing no clothes or makeup. I daresay that I might have looked better earlier on in the day.” He smiled against her shoulder, pressing a small kiss there.

“You looked beautiful today. But I think you look beautiful every day, and you look more like you right now than you have all day.” Betty smiled at his words, feeling them sink into her.

“I know that everyone was making jokes about consummating our marriage, but I’d really just like to lay down with you. Is that okay?” She peered up into his eyes, finding only love and acceptance there.

“Of course, Betts.” He led them into their room, quickly removing his own wedding attire, save for his boxers. He laid her down and care to lay behind her, enveloping her within his arms.

“Was it everything you wanted it to be?” He whispered the words quietly, breathing them onto her neck.

“Everything and more,” she answered. She couldn’t think of a single way that the day could have gone better. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he answered, his hand rubbing over her arm.

She lay there for a moment, relishing in his heat and the warmth of love radiating off him.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, so quiet that she thought he might not have heard. He pulled on her shoulder gently, turning her to face him.

“Thank you? For what?” She smiled at the confusion on his face, feeling the happiness bubble around inside her.

“For being you. For asking me to marry you. For making this all so easy. For promising to be mine forever. Just...for everything, I guess.” She watched at the confusion melted away into adoration, a look that she saw often but never got old to her. She loved this man in front of her with all her heart, with everything she had. Getting married had never been about status or the ring, or being able to post about it on Instagram. It had always been about just being with him, every day, for the rest of their lives, and she was so happy that she was his and he was hers. Forever.


	23. Scotland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 23 Camp Bughead - Christmas in July

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive the absence! I was holidaying in the Shuwaps and was doing my best to be in the moment, but now that I'm back its back to the regular schedule of Bughead all day, everyday!

Betty looked across the fjord, the snow dusting the ground. The world was silent, snowflakes muffling the sound of the world, save for the snap of Jughead’s camera. She glanced back at him, his eye squinted as he focused on the frame of the shot through the lens finder. 

It had been a fight with their parents, both Alice and FP when the young couple had explained they wouldn’t be home for Christmas. They had saved up, it had been a long year of hard work and they hadn’t taken a break since their honeymoon. They deserved this, she knew that in her heart, but that didn’t mean that her heart was tugging in the direction of home, imagining Juniper and Dagwood sitting on the carpet in front of the fire, opening their presents. 

She looked across the water, letting the beauty around her soothe the ache in her heart that was shaped like two five-year-olds. Arms came around her, wrapping gently around her middle, warmth breath on her neck. 

“Juni and Dag would love it here.” She smiled at his ability to always know what she was thinking. She nodded against his shoulder, turning in his arms to bury her rosy red nose in her jacket. 

“They would. Maybe we’ll bring them here one day.” Betty’s words were muffled by the sherpa jacket she was cuddling into, but she felt Jughead hum his agreeance all the same. 

Jughead pulled away despite Betty’s protest. He held her away, looking deeply into her eyes, so much so that she felt he was looking right into her soul. 

“Do you remember the conversation we had last month?” Betty huffed, her breath billowing around them. 

“We had lots of conversations, Jug. You can’t expect me to remember all of them.” Jughead smiled and breathed out a chuckle. 

“Well, this one took place after we watched the twins, along the lines of increasing our family size.” Betty remembered well. She had asked Jughead that night after the twins had been picked up by Polly if he ever thought about having kids. His answer had been a quiet _not really_ and Betty had dropped it, not wanting to push him on the subject. He hadn’t said anything after that, so she figured the topic was done being discussed for the time being. 

She wasn’t in a rush, they were young, barely even twenty-five, and newlyweds, they had lots of time. She looked into her husband’s blue eyes, almost bluer from the water's reflection behind her. She nodded, her heart stuttering in her chest. 

“At the time, you caught me off-guard,” he began, “but I’ve been thinking about what you said and I can’t stop thinking about blonde-haired, blue-eyed kids running around. They follow me around every day, and all I want is to start a family with you.” The last words came tumbling out of his mouth, like he couldn’t spit them out fast enough. She continued to stare at him, her heart swelling with happiness, picturing the children he had mentioned, and their lives. Picturing her husband being the best father she could imagine. She watched in confusion as his face fell. 

“You don’t want to anymore,” he stated, matter-of-factly, “did I miss my chance?” Betty felt a laugh choke its way out of her mouth, the resulting sound somewhere between a bark and a snort. Jughead grabbed her shoulders, making sure she was alright. 

“Betts?” She truly laughed this time now, throwing her arms around his neck. 

“You idiot, that’s  _ all  _ I want.” She felt Jughead sign in relief, his arms coming around her in a crushing hug. She was so filled with happiness, she wasn’t sure how to contain it within herself.

“Do you want to go back to the hotel and practice? I heard this baby-making business is quite difficult.” Betty giggled, pulling back to see the wicked grin on her husband’s face, his eyes darkened with desire. She brought her head down to kiss him, their lips cold from the snow. 

“Take me to bed, Mr. Jones.”


	24. Teddy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 24 Camp Bughead - Furry Friends

They had been trying to conceive since Scotland. Betty knew rationally that for some couples it took years to get pregnant. She knew that and yet every time she got her period her heart would break a little more. 

Sex had become a chore, only doing the act when she was ovulating. It had come to the point where she knew it wasn’t fun anymore. They had started trying by having fun, they had sex everywhere. The kitchen, the living room, the bathroom of a bar that they had gone to with friends. 

She looked back on the memories, knowing that they hadn’t been trying long enough for her to be this down-hearted, but she couldn't help it. They had been trying for six months now, and nothing. They had gone to the doctor after five months, only to be told that it was normal for new couples to expect some difficulties getting pregnant, to be patient and have fun.

She sat on the couch, her phone’s search open to the latest tips and tricks on how to get pregnant, nothing showing up that she hadn’t seen before. She tossed her phone aside and could help the tears that clouded her vision. She wanted to be a mom, she was ready, more than ready. Every molecule in her body wanted it so much. She sat on the couch, waiting for her husband to get home, knowing that she was ovulating today and not even wanting to try again, a gripping fear sitting on her chest of the failure she knew would result of their efforts. 

She heard his key in the door, her head hanging even lower. She couldn’t remember at this point how many times he had come home in the last month to her crying. How many times he had to console her and gently rock her on the couch until she felt like she could breathe again. 

“Betty?” She tried to stifle her sobs, wanting to hide this pain from him. 

Gentle hands found her shoulders and she could only cry harder, truly falling apart now that he was near. 

“Betts,” his voice was calm and smooth, something hard for her to grasp onto, “I have something to show you.”

She looked up finally, confusion written across her face. She only saw a small smile play across his lips, and then he was gently pulling her up to stand, taking his thumb and wiping away the tears on her cheeks. 

“Come on,” he whispered, leading her into the kitchen. 

She looked around the familiar room, seeing nothing out of the ordinary except for a box in the middle of the floor. She could only assume the surprise was inside, but the outside of the box gave no indication as to what it was. 

“I know you’ve been struggling,” Jughead started off quietly, still not speaking above a whisper, “and I know that nothing can replace a child, but, God Betts, I just needed to do something to make you happy again.” Betty’s stomach dropped through to the floor. She thought she was containing the worst of the depression, but at Jughead’s words, she chided herself for thinking that she could hide anything from him. 

“Juggie, I’m so sorry…” She was immediately shushed by Jughead, his gaze flickering to the box. Betty followed his gaze, studying the item on their floor when suddenly it moved. She jumped back in surprise, seeing Jughead flinch out of the corner of her eye. 

“Jug…what is in that box?” Jughead looked sheepishly at the floor, motioning with his hand for her to see for herself. 

Betty walked forward, almost in a trance, before kneeling down and opening the lid carefully. 

She gasped, falling onto her backside when a small, golden puppy popped out. She stared into its happy face, unsure of what to make of it. 

“What…” Jughead moved to sit beside her, his hand reaching out to pet the puppy’s ears. 

“Like I said, I know it can’t replace a baby, but maybe it’ll take your mind off it for a while?” Betty continued to stare into the small dog's brown eyes, her heart filling with love for the man sitting next to her. 

“What’s its name?” Her words came out in a whisper, barely audible over the scratching and shuffling of the puppy. 

“His name is Teddy. It came with him at the pound, but if you don’t like it we can change it.” Betty placed a hand on Jughead’s arm, stilling his words before they could come. 

“Teddy is perfect, I love him,” she paused to reach into the box, pulling the small bundle of fur out and into her lap, “I love you too.” 

She pressed her nose into the puppy’s fur, smelling the scent of soap and that new puppy smell that could never be replicated. Maybe she couldn’t have a baby quite yet, but they were a family, and their family had just gotten larger, if only by a little. 


	25. Riverdale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 25 Camp Bughead - Moving In

Betty looked at the house in front of her, not quite comprehending what had transpired over the last month. 

* * *

“We need a bigger house,” Jughead sighed, looking around at the clutter and disorganized chaos around them. 

“Well, we might have to sell a few hundred million copies of your book in order to buy a house in Manhattan.” She was washing dishes, not noticing her husband walking up behind her until her long arms wrapped around her middle. 

“What if we didn’t live in Manhattan?” Betty put down her sponge at the question, quickly grabbing a towel to dry her hands and turning to look at Jughead. 

“Where do you propose we live?” She meant the question as a joke but seeing the serious look on her husband’s face sobered her thoughts. 

“What if we moved back home?” She made a face, unable to check her reaction before it displayed itself. 

“To Riverdale? Why would we do that?” Jughead stepped closer to her, her nose nudging the side of her jaw. 

“Well, it’s not like our jobs really tie us to one area. I can freelance write and work on my novel anywhere, and with Riverdale’s Southside I’m sure they are in need of some amazing social workers in the area.” She sucked in a breath as he drew his nose up her jawline to nuzzle behind her ear, his tongue poking out to gently swipe at the shell of it. 

“I see you’ve thought a lot about this,” she answered breathlessly. Her hands found purchase on his forearms, trying to keep herself steady. 

“I want to be close to our parents when we have kids. I want them to be a part of their lives.” He paused for a moment, Betty waiting for him to continue. “And Teddy needs more room to run around.” 

Betty laughed quietly, knowing full well that their sweet puppy had grown into a full-size bundle of energy seemingly overnight. He had cemented himself so firmly in their lives, sometimes Betty couldn’t believe that they’d only had him for five months when it often felt like he had been around for their whole lives. 

Jughead’s hands on her hips drew her attention back to the man standing in front of her. “You really want to go back? After how hard we worked to get out?” Jughead pulled away to look into her eyes, swirling greens meeting steely blues. 

“We’re older now, and smarter. There’s nothing Riverdale can throw at us that we can’t handle.” 

Betty chuckled, knowing that there was going to be nothing to change her husband’s mind. She really wasn’t bothered by it. They had moved to New York for Betty for her to escape her mother, and she would go anywhere that Jughead went. Where he went, she would follow. 

* * *

She looked at the house, nothing too big, but it was at least three times the size of their small Manhattan apartment. It was a faded yellow, with white shutters and window trim. The picturesque perfect home. They had discussed at length where they wanted to live, with Jughead pulling for the Northside and Betty arguing for the South. In the end, they compromised on a small starter home that sat almost smack dab in the middle of the two sides.

She walked through the open front door, taking in the peeling wallpaper and dirty floors. It needed work, lots of it, but that was the only way they could afford to buy a house. Living in Manhattan was expensive, and while they had lived comfortably, there was never much left over to put away into savings.

Betty walked out into the backyard, taking in the overgrown grass and shrubs, happy to see that at least the fence was intact and looked sturdy. They wouldn’t have to worry about Teddy escaping. 

She let the dog go, feeling him tugging on his leash, excited to explore his new home. Betty watched as the puppy sniffed and rooted through the bushes, his happy tail wagging in the air. 

She felt a pair of arms wrap gently around her shoulders and she brought her hands up to grab the forearms that rested on her collarbones. 

“It might be a little broken down, but it’s all ours.” She smiled against his arm, knowing that this was the right choice. 

“This has been your best idea yet,” she murmured. 

Before he could reply, a shout came from the front yard, the unmistakable tone of Alice Cooper ringing through the house. 

“Betty! Aren’t you going to come show your mother your new home?” Betty ignored the muttered  _ If you can call it that  _ she was sure her mother was saying. Betty sighed and let her hands fall down to her sides, her husband mimicking her actions. She turned and moved past him, making a half turn to glare and point a finger at her husband. 

“I want you to remember that this was your idea when my mother comes over for a visit every day.” Her eyes were menacing but her tone suggested that she was joking. 

Jughead chuckled and walked behind her to the front door. “I’ll take a million visits from Alice Cooper if it means I get to own a home with you.” She smiled at his words, preparing herself for the onslaught of home improvement suggestions as he swung open the door for her mother. 


	26. Negative

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 26 Camp Bughead - Trials and Tribulations

“Teddy, no!” Betty grabbed the sweater in the dog’s mouth, pulling it until his let go. The vet had assured her that the teething stage was over, but the menace in front of her kept chewing everything in sight.

“Jughead!” She waited for her husband to appear from his office, his face carefully arranged to pretend that he hadn’t heard her yelling at the dog. “Have you taken him for his walk?”

Jughead sighed, pulling a hand over his face. “No, Betts. I got wrapped up in writing and completely forgot.” Betty clenched her teeth at the excuse.

“You forgot? He’s chewed two sweaters into oblivion, and I know you saw the bank statement from last month. We can barely afford to buy groceries, I can’t afford to replace clothing because you forgot to walk him.” She threw the sweater down to the floor, wincing internally as the menace in question slunk away to his bed in the kitchen.

“Jesus, Betty. I’m sorry. I’ll take him right now.” Betty watched as her husband moved to grab the leash. She knew she should drop it, that what she was really mad about was yet another negative pregnancy test. It had been over a year now and still nothing. True, she was too busy with the house, the dog, and all her cases to let it consume her every thought like it used to, but she would be lying to herself if she didn’t admit that every little pink minus was a stab to her heart. She knew all this, and yet she couldn’t stop herself from digging in more.

“Well sorry doesn’t fix my sweater. And sorry doesn’t replace the wallpaper. Or the floors. And it doesn’t mow the grass or fix the windows.” She ended off on a shrill note, knowing that she was truly spiraling.

“Goddamnit don’t you think I know that!” She recoiled slightly at her husband’s raised voice, not used to him shouting. “I’m trying to freelance as much as possible to make up the difference that I haven’t touched my own novel in a month.” She felt a ping of regret in her stomach, but she had pushed too hard to back down now.

“And I’m not doing anything? Is that what you’re saying?” Jughead let out a frustrated groan, putting the leash back on its hanger. Betty followed as he headed upstairs. “Where are you going? We were talking!”

“No, we aren’t. You are putting words in my mouth and are obviously determined to fight.” She bristled at the words, watching as he walked into the bathroom. She felt her heart clench as he grabbed his toothbrush and threw it into the small toiletries bag they kept under the sink. She watched as he threw various items into the bag.

“What are you doing?” She hated how small her voice sounded now, so tired of being pathetic and dependent on him.

“I’m going to stay at my dad’s for a few days. I think we need some space.” She felt a sob get caught in her throat. She didn’t want him to leave, she already felt so alone and if he left she knew she would fall apart.

She tried to think of something to say, but she didn’t want to be the first to apologize, the stubborn Cooper genes running deep within her. Betty watched as he walked over the shower and looked down, then watched as he paused and bent down to grab something out of the garbage can.

Betty squeezed her eyes shut tight against tears as Jughead pulled the pregnancy test from the garbage can, his eyes softening.

She was still standing in the doorway with her eyes clenched shut as he set the test on the counter, along with the bag in his hands. He moved to stand in front of his wife, his arms not hesitating to wrap around her tightly.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” His words were soft against her skin, barely heard above her stifled sobs.

“Why bother when nothing changed in a year?” She heard the bitter words leave her mouth, and felt him tighten his arms around her.

“Don’t move,” he whispered, his arms loosening as he walked down the stairs. Betty turned to look at herself in the mirror, feeling her heart drop when she heard the jingle of Teddy’s collar and the door open and close.

A wave of helplessness came over her as she realized she has chased away the only person who could make her feel better. She slid down the door to sit on the floor of the bathroom,  the tears falling freely now.

She didn’t hear the door open again, nor the creak of footsteps on the stairs, over the sounds of her own sobs in her ears.

“Oh, hun.” She looked through glassy eyes in the direction of the sound, seeing her husband standing in front of her.

“I thought you left,” she choked out, her throat feeling like it was stuffed with cotton.

“I took Teddy to the neighbor’s house. Their son offered to walk Teddy for cash the other day. I figured you and I could use some quiet.” She felt his arms wrap around hers and pull her up to her feet, her face burying into his chest. His hands stroked her back reassuringly. His hands grabbed the bottom of her shirt, tugging upwards.

“Jug,” she began, not wanting to tell him just how little she wanted the intimacy he was obviously searching for. Just as she was about the continue, he reached past her, turning the tub on and setting the plug into the drain.

“Get in,” he whispered, “I’ll be right back.”

She watched as he walked out of the bathroom again and began tugging off her clothes, gently sliding her body into the filling bathtub.

The water felt warm and inviting against her skin and she sunk deeper into the porcelain, her eyes closing. She heard shuffling and cracked one eye open to see her husband lighting candles and placing them on the counter, flicking the lights off to shroud them in the dim lighting. He peeled off his own clothes, setting something glass down on the floor beside her before he motioned for her to sit forward.

He slipped into the bath behind her, his chest warm against her back, and she sighed, the fight from ten minutes earlier not forgotten but set aside. She let all thoughts leave her mind as he shifted behind her to grab whatever it was that he had set on the floor. She only opened her eyes again at his soft utterance of her name.

Before her he held a glass of wine, it's pink bubbles sparkling in the candlelight. She took it gently, sipping from the glass and sighing again at the realization that it was her favorite kind.

“I’m sorry for not noticing.” The words were so soft she would have missed them if she hadn’t been listening. Before she could correct him, tell him it wasn’t his fault, he was speaking again.

“I should have noticed, Betts. I’ve been too busy, things have been hectic, and I haven’t been putting you first. You should always come first. I’m sorry.” She could hear the sincerity in his words without even looking at his face to check. She was so grateful for him, for knowing her, for not giving up on her.

“You don’t need to apologize, Juggie.” Instead of answering his simply brought his mouth down to kiss her neck, his lips feeling smooth and soft against her skin.

“I love you more than anything else on this earth. You know that, right?” She knew, deep within her heart, that he meant every word. She nodded her answer, not trusting herself to get the words out without crying. He was everything, he always was and he always would be.


	27. Two Pink Lines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 27 Camp Bughead - Bun in the Oven

“Jughead!” The dark-haired man jumped in his chair as he watched his wife skid around the corner, dressed in only a knee-length sweater and socks. 

“Jughead, you have to look at this!” Jughead chuckled at her exuberance.  _ She probably taught Teddy a new trick,  _ he thought to himself. He pulled himself from his office chair, wincing a little at the pain in his lower back that came from sitting and writing all day. 

“Ok, show me what you're so excited about.” He looked down at her, green eyes flashing with joy. She brought her hands out from behind her back, producing a slim, pink stick. Jughead knew immediately what it was, had seen them in the trash for over a year now. 

“Betts,” his voice came out breathy, “what is that?” He watched as his wife’s face cracked into a smile wider than he thought it could hold as she held out the stick to him. 

He clasped it with shaky hands, turning it over to look at the results, although, from the look on her face he was pretty sure he knew what it was going to say. 

Despite that knowledge, his heart still stopped when he saw the two little pink lines, stuttered as he realized what that meant, then catapulted out of his body as he whispered to himself, “I’m going to be a dad.” 

“You’re going to be the  _ best  _ dad,” was the soft correction whispered into his ear, her arms snaking around his waist as her head pressed into the crook of his neck. 

“Betts,” his voice was strangled as he pulled his wife back to look at her, “we’re going to be parents.” He watched at Betty nodded, his bottom lip pulled between her teeth, his eyes shining with unshed tears of joy. He fastened his arms around her waist, picking her up and twirling her around, listening to her peels of laughter bounce off the walls, followed immediately by the barking of Teddy, who had come to see what the commotion was all about. 

He set her down and placed his hands on her belly. It hadn’t changed in size yet, but soon there would be a small bump that would show their accomplishment. 

He moved his hands up to her face, grasping it gently in his rough palms. “I love you, Betty Jones.” She smiled sweetly at him, reaching up to place a chaste kiss on his lips. 

“I love you too, Jughead Jones.”


	28. Generations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 28 Camp Bughead - Next Generation

Jughead ran his hands through his hair, tugging slightly on the ends. This latest edit of his novel was making him want to tear his hair out. It wasn’t the never-ending rewrites, or his editor telling him that something  _ was missing _ from the sequel, or even having the kids running around yelling at all times. No, in his heart he knew that this novel wasn’t as good as the last, sequels rarely were, but he was so attached to the idea of it that now he was three edits through and refused to give up. 

He sat back in his chair, letting his eyes unfocus from the screen, trying to figure out what in the hell was missing that made this story feel so different from the last one. As he pondered, a mop of unruly blonde hair poked into the office. 

“Dad?” Jughead looked up, peering into the blue eyes that Betty had so often called a  _ carbon copy of the Jones genes. _

“Hey Colton, come in bud.” Jughead pushed back from his desk, swiveling to face his son. The boy in question walked in quietly and sat down in the armchair in the corner, his hands worrying themselves in his lap. Jughead waited for a moment, sure that his son would speak when he was ready. Colton was turning fourteen this year and had become the quietest person in their household, not a difficult feat when he had to compete with Amelia, who often made Jughead wonder how so much noise could be produced by someone so petite. 

“I, um, well” Jughead watched his son fumble with his words, feeling a warmth spread through his body at the unabashed love he felt for his son. “there’s this girl.” Jughead smiled. These were his favorite times of being a father when they came to him for advice. It wasn’t a job he took lightly, thinking back to all the times he had needed advice, had needed a father, and only had the leather of a Serpent’s jacket to talk to. When Colton was born he had made a vow to do better, to be better, and he tried his best to keep that vow every day. 

Jughead flashed his teeth at his son, a smile spreading across his face, “A girl, hey? Well, tell me all about her.” Jughead watched as his son relaxed and began to tell him about a gorgeous girl in his class, smart and nice, and his heart warmed, remembering what it felt like to feel love for the first time. 

He knew not everyone was as lucky as him and Betty, not too many of their friends who dated in high school stayed together, but he did know that high school romances were the best part of high school, if his and Betty’s relationship was anything to go on. He wanted his son to experience love and heartbreak, to know what it meant to cherish another human, to learn how to treat a woman right, and he wanted to be there to offer advice if he was asked for it. 

 

Later that night, as they lay in their bed, Betty asked what it was that their son had wanted to ask him. Jughead smiled again, recounting to her about the girl he wanted to ask to the upcoming Spring Fling dance. Betty smiled back, resting her head on his shoulder. 

“Well, if he’s looking for romantic advice, he asked the best in the business. You swept me off my feet so hard I don’t think they ever touched the ground again.” She pressed a small kiss to his forehead and cuddled down into him. He chuckled at her, knowing that their love story wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but nobody’s was, and it’s not about the destination, it’s about how you get there. 

* * *

_ 4 Years Later _

“Rachel, they’re calling us to line up.” Colton looked back at the girl behind him, her fiery hair curled in soft waves, her graduation hat sitting gently atop them. He was amazed every day that she was his, still wanted to be his, after all this time. 

His parents had warned him that not all high school relationships lasted, but he knew that was a load of crap. It had nothing to do with high school, and everything to do with how much you were willing to give another person. 

Colton had watched over the past four years as all his friends got girlfriends, had sex, broke up, and repeated, over and over again. At one point, his friend Jesse had asked him why he stayed with Rachel. 

“ _ Aren’t you bored, man? Staying with the same girl for so long?”  _ At the time Colton had been confused. There was nothing boring about Rachel. She was smart and kind and compassionate. Together they had revived the Blue and Gold, only finding out later that this was something his parents had done in their high school days as well. They had been each other’s first kiss, first time, first everything. 

No, it wasn’t high school relationships that were the problem, it was that high schoolers were selfish. They too often thought about themselves and not the person they were with. It wasn’t that teenagers were incapable of building lasting relationships, it was that they never thought about the fact that there were two people in the relationship. 

That was something Rachel and him had figured out early. She was too no-nonsense to put up with selfishness, she didn’t have a selfish bone in her body and couldn’t understand how someone could constantly put themselves before others. 

They had built their relationship, starting with that first Spring Fling dance in freshman year, on mutual trust and respect. They tried their best to always consider the other person’s feelings before acting on their own. They had built something beautiful, and now here they were, four years later, still just as happy, about to walk across the Riverdale High stage, accept their diplomas and start their lives together. They were both going to UCLA, a far ways from home, much to the dismay of all their parents, but they had both agreed that they wanted to move to LA, long before they had applied to the university. 

Colton felt a gentle touch on his arm, his gaze pulled back to the woman standing next to him. 

“It’s time to line up, Colt. Are you ready?” Colton smiled at the glimmer of nerves in her eyes, and took her outstretched hand, feeling the warmth spread from his palm into the rest of his body. 

“More than ever.” They walked to join their classmates, lining up to march across the stage that would lead them into the rest of their lives. 


	29. RHSS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 29 Camp Bughead - Summer School

Betty watched as the clock ticked on and on. She was having trouble concentrating when the sun was shining brightly and every five minutes her phone pinged with a new update from Veronica on her _amazing summer break._

She glanced around the room, a total of twelve students on the room. There were three stoners and four of the jocks, three high achievers who were trying to get ahead for next year. If she were ever to consider summer school, she had always thought she would be in the latter category, but no. She was here because of him.

She glared across the room at the reason why she was here. He sat slouched in his chair, beanie tipped forward the cover his eyes, suspenders hanging lazily at his sides. The sun cast across his midsection, the light playing off the not-showy, but not nonexistent muscles in his arms. She thought back to the last few days of school.

She had been getting a few things ready for closing for the summer over at the Blue and Gold when she had heard a bang from down the hall. Her naturally curious nature had led her down the hall until she stood just outside Principal Weather bee’s office, coming face to face with Jughead and his lackeys. They all held green spray paint cans in their hands and her painting snakes all over Weatherbee's windows. She knew Jughead had a problem with their principal, but she had no idea what had warranted this kind of reaction from the Serpents.

She heard footsteps coming down the hallway and Jughead turned and saw her. She saw a devious smirk on his face as he rushed over to run, pushing the spray paint into her hand just as Weatherbee turned the corner. And that was how, without even getting a chance to properly explain herself, Betty had ended up in summer school. The elder man had decided since there wasn't enough time left in school to make her pay for her _sins_ in detention, summer school would suffice nicely. She would complete two courses from her next year's course load, and as soon as she was done the courses she would be excused.

She pulled herself from her memories as Jughead caught her staring at him, tossing a flirtatious wink her way.

She hated him. She wouldn't be here if he and his stupid Serpents hadn't ruined everything. But she had a plan, and she was going to get her revenge.


	30. Camp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 30 Camp Bughead - Summer Camp

Betty tugged off her camisole hurriedly, rocking the canoe that she was sitting in. Underneath her, the most gorgeous boy was doing the exact same. 

“What took you so long?” Betty sighed as she settled her hands on his stomach, combing through the fine hairs just above her jeans. 

“You have twelve boys to get to sleep, and I know for a fact that after all that roughhousing they do all day that they are exhausted and probably pass out the moment they hit the sheets.” She thought back to the spirited food fight Jughead’s cabin had started in their second week. “I, on the other hand, have a cabin of girls that like to giggle and gossip until the sun comes up. Do you know how many extra waffles I had to bribe them with to get them to fall asleep?” 

He chuckled beneath her, once again setting the canoe rocking. She quickly moved her hands to brace on the sides of the watercraft, trying to hold it steady. 

“Whose idea was it to meet up in a canoe anyway?” She knew it was his idea, but the reminder of their secret planning behind the cabins set a flame in his eyes. 

“Well we’ve almost been caught everywhere else,” she nodded at his words, flashing back to all the close calls they’d had so far, “and also, we go home in a week and this was the last place on our  _ to-do  _ list.” She blushed at the mention of the to-do list, something silly they had conjured up when they had first started their tryst. What neither of them had realized was how hard they would fall and how fast. 

Betty moved her hands down to the button on his jeans, gently flicking it open and pulling down the zipper. She paused before she began to shimmy the material down his legs. 

“We go home in a week,” she remarked sadly, the reminder of their impending separation almost bringing her to tears. Just as the first tear was about to fall, his hand came up to wipe it away, staying there to rest on her cheek. 

“Hey,” he whispered softly, barely to be heard over the sound of the water lapping against the sides of the canoe, “I’m coming to see you at Thanksgiving,” he began. 

“And I’m coming to visit you at Christmas,” she finished. She knew the plan, knew that as soon as they got home they would both be getting part-time jobs so that they could both afford the bus from Toledo to Riverdale. 

Betty thought back to all the years Jughead had lived in Riverdale. She couldn’t help but feel like she had wasted her time with him. Sure, they had been friends, but she would be lying to herself if she didn’t admit that she had always had a crush on the both from the Southside with the grey beanie. 

Then he had moved away or was taken away, which was more accurate. Whisked away with his mom and sister to Toledo to escape the unreliability of his father. 

They were starting their sophomore year this year, but she knew it was Jughead’s plan to convince his mom to let him move back to Riverdale for their junior and senior years. She really hoped that he would be successful, the thought of bussing back and forth on holidays for the next three years filled her heart with an ache that couldn’t be soothed. 

A gentle caress of his hand brought her back to the present, and the task at hand. They only had one week left with each other, and they were trying their hardest to make it memorable. After this week, the campers would all go home and they would go back to school, not seeing each other until November. 

Betty began to pull his jeans downs, fingers moving constantly to memorize every groove and line of his body. She smiled as he reached behind her to unclasp her bra, his hands immediately moving to her chest, which thankfully had filled out over the summer. 

She smiled as his hands wandered over her skin, knowing that no matter how many miles separated them in the future, they would always have this summer, they would always have tonight. 

So as she gave herself to him one last time, she couldn’t help but smile at all the amazing memories they had created this summer, gently whispering into his ear, “I love you, Camp Counselor Jughead.” 

Her heart swelled and almost burst as he whispered back, “I love you more, Camp Counselor Betty.” 


	31. Fling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 31 Camp Bughead - Summer Romance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe we are here! I've had so much fun doing all these prompts put together by these wonderful! I hope you enjoy this last drabble and I hope you enjoyed the whole month!

Betty marched with purpose into the Whyte Wyrm, pushing the door open in front of her. She had gotten Veronica’s driver to drop her off, a cocky move that she was now somewhat regretting. 

All heads turned to look in her direction, and she couldn’t blame them. She was devoid of the patent Serpent jacket that so commonly walked through the doors, clothed in black jeans and a black tank top, one of which she had also borrowed from her raven-haired friend. 

She tried to ignore the whoops and catcalls from the men surrounding her, refusing to be intimidated by them. Instead, she locked her gaze onto the only person that she recognized, a girl standing behind the bar, her long hair tied back in pink braids, her crop top hanging effortlessly off her body. She had seen her enough at Pop’s to know who she was, and she only stopped walking once she was right in front of her. 

“Betty,” the girl questioned, “you’re a little far from you’re side of town. What are you doing here?” The words weren’t said maliciously, however, Betty could sense that they weren’t entirely sincere either. Betty sucked in a deep breath, not willing to back down no matter how nervous she might be. She had come here with a purpose, and she wasn’t leaving until she got what she came for. 

“Where’s Jughead?” She tried to put authority behind her words, but from the smirk on Toni’s face, she could tell that the shorter girl had seen right through her. 

“He’s in the office, follow me.” Betty tried to quell the surprise she was sure showed on her face at being appeased so quickly. She had been expecting more pushback, a  _ no _ , something.

She watched as Toni knocked on a wooden door, poking her head in quickly and muttering, “You have a visitor,” before heading back to the bar. 

Betty listened as footsteps approached the door, and she quickly tried to rearrange her face into something resembling strength. 

The door creaked open and she was face to face with him for the first time in a week. The last time she had seen him, she had slapped him. But what did he really expect, with the proposition he had given her? 

_ I think you need someone to take the edge off, Blondie.  _

She tried to keep the redness from her cheeks as he smirked at her, it showing on his face that he was remembering their last encounter as well. 

“Sunshine, come on in.” He turned away from the door, moving back into the poorly lit office. 

She huffed slightly of his expectation that she would follow him, but walked through the door regardless. 

“What can I do for you?” Betty hated the way his smirk twisted his face, hated how his one eyebrow quirked upward in amusement, she hated everything about him, but she had made a decision. 

“I thought about your proposition,” she started, punctuating her words with the slow unbuttoning of her blouse. She had practiced in the mirror countless times, trying to hit the sweet spot between seductive and inexperienced, knowing that she held more of a place in the latter category. “I think you're right, Jughead. I need someone to help take the edge off.” 

She stood in front of him now, her shirt open to the lacy, black bra that she had specifically gone out to buy for this meeting. She smiled as his eyes wandered over her chest, the smirk dropping off his lips. She chuckled at his inability to guard his reaction. “And what makes you think that the offer is still on the table?” She tried not to bristle at this, she knew that he wouldn't reject her, but he was obviously going to make her work for it after slapping him at Pop’s. 

“Considering that you’ve been staring at my tits and haven't kicked me out yet, I figure I have a pretty good chance at convincing you.” She tried not to cringe at the vulgar language she used, something else she had practiced when she was alone. She watched as his eyes darkened, his tongue poking out to wet his lips. She licked her own lips, slow and deliberately, biting the soft flesh there. 

She jumped as he walked towards her, his steps purposeful. Before she could act his lips her on hers, only for a moment, before moving down to her neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin there. 

“I take that as a yes?” The words came out breathier than she intended, a small groan escaping her as he chuckled against her throat. 

He moved to kiss her again, but she twisted out of the way. “Wait,” she tried to ignore the look of loss in his eyes, the fire in the blues depths burning brighter. “We need to set some expectations.” 

He backed away, rubbing a hand over his face roughly. 

“You seem like you already know what you want to say.” He motioned for her to continue with his hand. 

_ Perfect _ . “This,” she stepped closer, motioning between them, “is just sex. No feelings, no attachments.” She raised her hands to his chest, raking then lightly down his abs. She reveled in the shiver that racked his body. She knew her words were affecting him, knew that they were only serving to rile him up more. She didn't care. 

“And it's only for the summer. I leave for NYU in the fall and I'm not bringing anything from Riverdale with me.” She laid gentle kisses up his neck, letting her words sink in. 

His hands came to rest on her hips, pulling her tightly against his growing length. 

“Not a problem, Sunshine. I can do no attachments.” It was her turn to shiver as he slipped his hands inside her open shirt, his fingers dancing across her skin. 

“And a summer fling sounds like my speed.” 

With those words, he brought his lips to crush against hers. Betty saw stars swimming behind her closed eyes, knowing in that moment that this could be the best or worst decision she had ever made. She truly hoped for the former. 


End file.
